High School Daze
by rhymenocerous
Summary: Lindsay had a pretty miserable senior year of high school. When she and Danny head back to Montana for a visit, will Danny be able to cheer her up? What will life have in store for them when they return to New York? Rated M for adult language and smut.
1. An Unexpected Invite

**So after my last story was oh-so-angsty, I needed a little break. So here is something much fluffier. With a heavy dose of smut to come in later chapters. Yay! **

**Big, big thanks to afrozenheart412 for the idea, and to Brinchen86 for her support. You guys totally rock, and your unwavering enthusiasm means the world to me. Thank you!!!**

**Disclaimer: There are a few characters in this story that actually do belong to me! OMG! Unfortunately, anybody that you recognize from CSI NY still belongs to CBS. Boo.**

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"Argh!"

Danny's head snapped up from the case file he had been reading just in time to see his wife hurl a crumpled up ball of paper across the room, apparently aiming for the garbage can tucked into the corner, but missing by a mile. Seeing that she had missed her target appeared to anger her even further, as she released a string of curses under her breath, pushing herself angrily out of her chair and stomping to where the discarded ball had landed. She picked it up and, as if to add insult to injury, scrunched it up even further until it was a tightly packed wad that she then proceeded to hurl the short distance into the garbage can.

Danny had to try his hardest to stifle a laugh when she missed the can for the second time, the ball of paper glancing off the rim of the can and then falling down behind it, wedging itself between the receptacle and the wall.

"Fuck it," she muttered. "Just fuck it all to hell." Then, turning to glare at Danny she asked, "What the hell are you laughing at?"

Danny raised his hands in surrender, straightening out his facial features to erase any and all evidence of a smile. "Nothing," he said innocently. "Absolutely nothing."

"You better not be laughing at me, Daniel Messer," Lindsay warned him, hands on her hips, her foot tapping out a steady beat on the floor of their office.

"I am most definitely not laughing at you, Montana," replied Danny, struggling once again to keep the hint of laughter out of his voice and the smile off of his face.

"Oh shut up, Danny," she said, stalking back to her chair and sitting down heavily.

He watched her carefully for the next few minutes. He watched her pretend to concentrate on the work in front of her, but he could see her eyes glancing over to the garbage can every few minutes. She would let out a small sigh, then turn her gaze back to the files spread out on her desk and pretend to be sorting through them before her eyes would drift back to the garbage can.

Finally, Danny had had enough. "Okay, seriously, Montana," he said, the exasperation clear in his voice. He stood up and made his way over to her. "What is wrong with you today?" He stood behind her chair, resting his hands on her shoulders and squeezing gently. He could feel the tension in her body through the light fabric of our blouse.

"Nothing is wrong, Danny," she spat at him, shrugging away from his touch. "Just leave me alone."

"Lindsay, come on," he said, letting his hands move once again to rest on her shoulders. "You've been in a pissy mood ever since I got to work this morning. Did I do something? What's the matter?"

"Nothing, Danny. Nothing is wrong," she snapped. "Just drop it."

She felt his hands leave her shoulder and she felt a surge of remorse. Danny was right. She was in a pissy mood, but not because of him. He was just the most convenient target for her to lash out at. She sighed in resignation. She knew that she would have some explaining to do. She gasped as her chair suddenly spun around and she was face to face with her husband. He leaned over her, resting his hands on the arms of her chair, his face inches from hers, his blue eyes piercing through her, seeing through her bullshit.

"Lindsay Messer," his voice was low and serious, "Do not lie to me. Something is bothering you, and I want to know what it is."

She fidgeted uncomfortably under his intense scrutiny. She couldn't look him in the face, so she looked at her hands, clasped tightly in her lap. She wasn't even sure why she was so upset. It wasn't like it was a big deal or anything, just something unexpected that she didn't really want to think about. She knew she should tell him, but she was unsure how he would react. Would he laugh at her? Would he tease her?

The more she thought about it, the more she realized how unfair she was being to Danny. Yes, he teased her and they joked around, but he knew her, and he knew when she needed him to be serious. Obviously he could tell something was wrong and he would never make fun of her about something that was truly bothering her. She sighed. The more she thought about it, the more ridiculous she felt about her little temper tantrum.

"Danny, it's really, it's nothing," she said more softly this time. She lifted her hands from her lap and placed them on Danny's, which were still gripping the arms of her chair. She caressed the backs of his hands gently. "I just, I don't know. I just got an unexpected letter in the mail this morning and I guess it just set me off. I'm sorry, honey. I didn't mean to take it out on you." She glanced up at him, watching as his eyes softened and he gave her a small smile.

"It's okay, Linds," he said pressing a light kiss to her forehead. "I can take it. What I can't take is for you to keep something that's bothering you pent up inside. You know you can tell me anything."

She gave his hands a light squeeze as he stood up and went over to his desk to retrieve his chair. He sat down and then scooted the chair around the desk so that he was sitting beside her. "So, tell me, what's up?"

She looked at him and sighed. She stood up and walked over to the garbage can, reaching behind it to rescue the prieviously discarded piece of paper. Sitting back down in her chair, she carefully smoothed it out, and then handed it to him. "Here," she said. "Read this, then we'll talk."

Danny looked down at the wrinkled document in front of him. The letterhead showed that it was from the Bozeman Senior Secondary School Reunion Committee, Class of 1995. He raised his eyebrows and looked at his wife. "What…"

"Just read it, alright?"

"Yes ma'am," he said. He returned his gaze to the document and began to skim down the page.

_Dear Lindsay Monroe,_

_The Bozeman Senior Secondary School Reunion Committee for the Class of 1995 is pleased to announce that we have organized our 15 Year High School Reunion. We would love to see what all of our fellow classmates are up to these days, and you're no exception! _

_We hope that you will accept our invitation to attend the reunion weekend that we have organized. The festivities will begin at noon on Saturday, April 24__th__, 2010 at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds, where there will be activities for the entire family. Following that, we will move on to a reunion dinner to be held at the Holiday Inn Bozeman, where there are discount rooms available at a group rate for the reunion. _

_We hope to see you there! Please find a detailed itinerary of events included with this letter. If a reservation is required at the Holiday Inn, please call ahead and remember to tell the front desk that you are a Class of 1995 Cowgirl or Cowboy, and they will be sure to give you the special rate!_

_Sincerely,_

_Cheryl Atwater_

_BSSS Reunion Committee Chair_

_Class of 1995_

Danny looked up from the letter and stared at his wife. She was fiddling nervously with her wedding ring, carefully avoiding his gaze.

"This is why you were so upset?" he asked, incredulous. She finally looked up at him and nodded, a faint blush creeping across her cheeks.

"Yeah," she admitted. "I know, I know. It's stupid to get all worked up about it. It's just that, you know, I had kind of a hellish time in high school, and things are going so great right now, and I just, you know," the blush on her cheeks deepened as her words trailed off.

"Do you want to go?" Danny asked.

"What? No!" she said. "No. Yes. No. I don't know. It's just…" she sighed. "It's just the thought of seeing those people again… Danny, they made my life almost intolerable for my senior year. Not only was I a dorky science nerd, but I was also _that_ _girl_ _from the diner_. I just don't know if I want to drag all those old memories back up again." She looked sadly down at her hands.

Danny reached his arm around Lindsay's shoulders and pulled her chair closer to his, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her temple. "This is really eating you up inside, huh?" he asked. Eyes still downcast, she nodded. "Well, you're not a dorky science nerd now, honey," he whispered in her ear. "And you are so much more than _that girl from the diner_."

She smiled and looked up at him, her eyes shining with unshed tears. He brushed a stray strand of hair from her face and continued. "You're a detective with the finest police force in the country, you're a respected scientist, you've got a whole pile of friends who love you, you've got a beautiful daughter who worships the ground you walk on, and a handsome and attentive husband who absolutely and completely adores you." He smiled at her and leaned in to rub his nose against hers in an affectionate Eskimo kiss. "You've got a lot to be proud of, sweetheart."

Lindsay smiled as the tears that she could no longer hold back were flowing freely down her cheeks. Danny reached across her desk to get her a Kleenex, gently using the tissue to dab at her cheeks. Then he pulled out a second Kleenex and put it up against her nose.

"Blow," he said.

"You're such a dad," she giggled at him.

"Yes I am, I'm an awesome dad. So do as you're told and blow your nose Lindsay Messer. Because there is no way that I'm gonna kiss you while your nose is all snotty like that." he said sternly.

Lindsay took the Kleenex from his hand and blew her nose. She then tossed it towards the garbage can and gave a little cheer when the tissue hit its target and landed inside the receptacle. Smiling, she turned back to Danny and gave him a soft peck on the lips.

"Thank you."

"No problem, babe," he said. "That's what I'm here for." He looked back down at the letter. "So, what's it gonna be, Linds. We going?"

"I don't know. I guess it would be kind of fun to see some of the people that would be there. Plus, it would be a great excuse to take Lucy to visit my mom and dad. I just, you know, I think it might be kinda lame."

"Well, fortunately for you, Mrs. Messer, _kinda_ _lame_ is my middle name," said Danny. Then he caught himself. "Wait, no, that's – that didn't come out the way I meant it." Now it was Danny's turn to blush as Lindsay chuckled at him. "I just meant that if it's important to you, and you want to go, then I'm with you 100 percent."

She smiled at her husband and reached out to gently stroke his face. "Thank you, sweetie," she said. "I appreciate that. I will think about it." He handed the letter back to her and smiled, rolling his chair back toward his own desk. "Hey Danny?"

"Yeah, babe."

"I thought your middle name was James."

Danny stopped his chair in mid-roll and looked up at his wife, shaking his head. "You know, Montana," he said, "It's a very good thing we're at work right now. Otherwise I'd have to put you over my knee and spank you."

She giggled at the mischievous look in his eye. "You wouldn't dare," she challenged him.

"I would too," he said, his voice suddenly dropping to a low husky whisper. "And I know that you'd love it."

"Danny!" she exclaimed, "I would not!"

"Oh no?" he asked, rolling his chair back toward her slowly, a predatory look in his eye. "Those little noises you made the other night when I smacked your ass tell me differently."

"You're such a pervert," she said, backing slowly away in her own chair. "And I do _not_ love it when you spank me, Danny." She grinned teasingly at him. "I'm just humouring you because I know you love it."

"Oh yeah? Try getting me all riled up again, and see where that gets you Montana. I dare you," he growled playfully, winking at her.

She stuck her tongue out at him and he smirked back at her. He rolled his chair back to his desk and proceeded to get back to working on the case file he had been going through before Lindsay's tantrum.

She smiled and turned to look down at the letter still lying on her desk. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad, she thought. People could change a lot in 15 years. She certainly had. And if the people from her graduating class hadn't changed, at least she would have Danny with her. She smiled to herself as she thought of all the girls that had made fun of her in high school, how their jaws would drop to the floor in disbelief as mousy, geeky Lindsay Monroe showed up, now Lindsay Messer, with her gorgeous husband on her arm.

This could be very interesting indeed.

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**So? Are we interested? Do we want to know what happens next? Are we tired of being referred to as "we"? **

**Please let me know what you think! Any ideas as to what Danny might have in store for Lindsay? (afrozenheart 412 and Brinchen86, no telling!) Read on to find out!**


	2. Coming Home

**A/N: I promise that I haven't forgotten about this story! I really really do!**

**You know how it is, real life sneaks up and you and throws a giant steaming pile of stress on you and you just have to re-prioritize for a few days. *Sigh*. Now, where were we? Oh, right. Chapter Two. Let's make a deal. I'll stop rambling away here, and you start reading. And don't forget to review when you're done ;)**

**Disclaimer: I'm assuming if you're reading Chapter Two that you've already read Chapter One, and you saw the disclaimer there, so I'll just say this: Ditto for all future chapters of this story. Now stop stalling and read!!!**

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"Move over Danny. You're on my side of the bed!" Lindsay whined at him.

"Montana, seriously? You're really going there? Because I have about one inch before I fall off this bed and onto my ass on the floor. You have the whole rest of the bed to yourself. Give me a break here."

"Not my fault you're so irresistible, Mr. Messer," Lindsay teased as she ran her toes up Danny's sweatpant-clad leg, her fingers skimming over his bare chest. "It must be such a burden, Danny, having a wife that's wants to jump your bones all day and all night."

Danny chuckled as Lindsay placed open-mouth kisses on his neck. "Did you just use the phrase 'jump my bones' Montana? You realize that's kind of crass, don't you?"

"Mmmm," he felt Lindsay's warm breath on his ear as she spoke. "What would you prefer, baby? Would you rather I tell you that I want you to fuck me senseless or that I want to ride you hard, cowboy?"

She giggled into his neck as she felt rather than heard his sharp intake of breath at her words. She let her hand run down his chest until she came to the waistband of his sweatpants. Dipping her fingers down under the fabric she smiled as she felt him twitch in her hand. "I guess it doesn't really matter, does it baby. The result is still the same."

Danny closed his eyes and released a low moan at the feeling of his wife's hand as she stroked him gently. He opened his eyes and looked at her face, giving her a crooked smile. Then he lay back and glanced around the room, trying to find something to concentrate on so that he wouldn't come too soon.

Wait. What? Where were their matching dressers with the drawers left slightly ajar due to their hurry to get dressed in the morning? Gone. The giant mirror they had installed on the wall opposite their bed? Gone. Their giant king-sized bed? Gone too. Gone were all the familiar surroundings of their bedroom. Instead he found himself looking at posters of horses and early '90s popstars. The bed he lay on was small and cramped. On the wall hung a collage of pictures taken many years ago, and in that sea of faces there was only one that he recognized. The others were all strangers staring back at him.

"Holy shit, Linds! Stop!" he hissed at her, cringing at the loss of her touch as he pulled her hand from the front of his pants.

"What's the matter, baby?"

"We, uh, I'm not… um. I just…" he stammered nervously. He took a deep breath and looked at his wife. "I can't do this Linds, not here. It's…it just seems…it makes me uncomfortable."

Lindsay looked at her husband in shock. "What? What makes you uncomfortable? It's just a room, Danny," she said. "That's it. Just my childhood bedroom."

Lindsay looked around the room. It had been nearly a year since the last time she'd slept here, and in that time nothing had changed. If she was honest, nothing had changed in the room in over 15 years. Except of course for her. She was no longer the scared, shy, geeky Lindsay Monroe that she had once been. She smiled as she realized that the room didn't really belong to her anymore. The only thing in the room that reflected who she was now was the man sitting beside her on the bed. The man who was currently sitting bolt upright with a death-grip on her hand that had been, just moments before, wrapped firmly around his cock. He looked back at her with wide eyes.

"What?" she asked.

"What do you mean, 'what'?" he asked her in response. "We can't do this," he said, gesturing between her hand and the bulge in the front of his pants, "in here, Lindsay. It's just…it's just…it's wrong, okay."

Lindsay couldn't the laugh that escaped her lips. She carefully pried her hand from his grip, then sat back and looked at him, a smile plastered across her face. "When did you become such a prude?" she teased.

"I'm not a prude, okay?" he sighed, leaning back slightly on the pillows. "It's…I just met your folks, I mean really, _really _met them, like actually in person, about three hours ago, Linds."

"And?" she prompted him.

"And? _And_? Lindsay, I stole their only daughter out from under their noses _and _knocked her up before marrying her _and _we've been married for almost a year, _and_ our daughter is coming up on a year old, _and_ this is the first time that I've actually met them face to face, _and_ I..."

Lindsay cut him off from his rant with a soft kiss. "Danny?" she asked when she pulled her lips away from his.

"Yeah?"

"Breathe, babe," she said.

"I'm sorry, Montana. I just don't want to…"

"You don't want to sleep with me in the bedroom where I grew up?" she finished for him. "Fine. So what. No one else ever did either," she huffed as she shrugged her shoulders and began shuffling back over to her side of the bed.

"Montana, that's not fair," he protested. "You know that I _want _to. I just…"

"You just what Danny?" she asked as she smoothed out the blankets as she tucked them around her legs, carefully avoiding looking at him.

"If you would just let me finish, please Linds," he said sharply. At his words her head snapped up and he saw the hurt expression on her face. He hadn't meant to snap at her like that. He sighed and then reached out to take her hand before continuing.

"Montana, I-I'm really nervous, okay? I want them to like me," he could feel his cheeks flush with embarrassment as he spoke. He began tracing little circles on the palm of her hand with his thumb. With his other hand he reached out and pulled her into his side. "They're in the next room, okay? It's our first night here together and I just really want to make a good impression on them. I don't want them to think that I'm some sex-starved maniac or something."

Lindsay huffed. "Since when do you care what the parents of girls that you sleep with think of you?"

"Whoa, Linds. Where did that come from?" he asked looking down at her as she hid her face in his chest. He sighed again and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "You're right though," he said. "I never really cared whether the parents of girls I was with liked me or not. Never really seemed to matter. But for your information _Mrs. Messer_," he enunciated each syllable of her married name carefully, "you were never, _ever _just a girl that I slept with." He brought their joined hands up to his lips and kissed each of her fingers in turn. "And that's why your parents opinion matters so much to me. Because you matter to me."

She looked up at him and gave him a shy smile, then kissed his chin. He ran his fingers through her hair. "How could you think I don't want you? Of course I want you, Linds. I want you all the time. If I wasn't so afraid of your dad storming in here with a loaded shot gun, I would ravish you right now."

He smiled as he placed a kiss on her forehead and she snuggled closer to him. "I'm sorry, Danny," she sighed into his chest. "I'm just a little bit sensitive about being back here and seeing some of the people at the reunion on Saturday."

He gently stroked her back and rested his cheek against the top of her head. "I know, baby. I know," he murmured to her. "I know that your senior year wasn't exactly a walk in the park, Linds. But this time you're not going to be facing them alone. You know that, right? I've got your back, babe." He ran his fingers lightly up and down her arm that was sprawled possessively across his stomach. "Nobody messes with Danny Messer's girl."

He stiffened as Lindsay let out a soft giggle. "What?" he asked as she continued to shudder with laughter. "What's so funny?"

"You," she said while struggling to regain her composure. She looked up at him and grinned. "You're such a dork. _Nobody messes with Danny Messer's girl_," she said in a terrible impression of Danny's accent.

"Alright, alright," he grumbled ruffling her hair affectionately. "I'm just trying to be helpful, make you feel better, and now you're picking on me? Jeez. Why the hell do I put up with this crap?"

"Because you love me," Lindsay said matter-of-factly with a look of pure innocence on her face.

Danny grinned back at her and pulled her closer. "Busted," he said as he closed his eyes and tried to let sleep overtake him as he listened to the soft sound of Lindsay breathing.

* * *

Lindsay slowly peeled open her eyes as the bright Montana sunlight found its way through the gap in the curtains. She stretched as her body adjusted to the concept of being awake and her hand sought out the warm body that should be lying next to her on the bed. She sat up when she realized that Danny's side of the bed was empty. She turned to look at the clock on the bedside table and gasped as she realized that it 9:30 am already.

She jumped out of bed, silently cursing Danny for letting her sleep so long. They had so much to do today, and here she was, sleeping the day away. Her eyes scanned the room as she looked for her other sock. Finding it on the floor in the corner she reached down to pick it up and then hopped around on one foot while trying to pull it on as quickly as possible.

She peeked at her reflection in the mirror, fluffing her hair and muttering at the crow's feet around her eyes that she was sure weren't there just a few weeks ago. She smiled as she remembered when she had pointed them out to Danny. He had put his face right up to hers, their noses touching, and squinted at her. Then he had stepped back and declared that she must be seeing things because there was absolutely nothing wrong with her face.

God she loved that man.

With a silly smile still plastered on her face she bounded down the stairs and pushed open the kitchen door.

"Good morning, sunshine," John Monroe said as his daughter entered the room. "We were wondering whether or not you were going to grace us with your presence today."

Lindsay smiled at her daddy and kissed his cheek as she walked past him. "Good morning, daddy," she said. Then she turned to her mother who was busy making a fresh pot of coffee. "Mornin' mom."

Dana Monroe turned to face her daughter and smiled warmly at her. "Hello sweetheart," she said as she pulled Lindsay in for a hug. "Oooh, it's so good to see you in my kitchen again. We miss you so much, Lindsay."

Lindsay held her mother closer. "Mmmm. I miss you too, mom."

Pulling away from her mother's embrace, Lindsay looked around the big country kitchen. "Where are Danny and Lucy?" she asked.

"That boy of yours has been up with the little lady since about 6:30 this morning," said John. "He took her out for a walk about an hour ago. Said they were going to go look at the _horseys_," John tried not to laugh at the memory of his tough, city-boy, son-in-law talking about going to look at the 'horseys' with Lucy, who had looked back at Danny with a blank stare, clearly having no idea what her father was talking about.

Lindsay smiled and her heart melted just a little. The look on her face was not lost on her father. He sighed as he put down the newspaper he had been reading and looked up at his daughter. "Lindsay, pumpkin, are you happy?"

Lindsay looked at her father with a bemused expression on her face. "Why? What makes you ask that?"

"Its just, well, he's very," he paused trying to find the right words, "different," he finished lamely. He looked up at his wife and she raised her eyebrows at him.

Lindsay smiled as she accepted a cup of coffee from her mother and sat down at the kitchen table across from her father. She took a sip of the warm liquid and smiled as she felt it trickle down her throat, invigorating her body. Then she reached across the table and took her father's hand in hers. "I love him so much, daddy," she said simply. "He makes me happy. He loves me unconditionally. And he's a wonderful father." She shrugged as she continued, "So what if he's different? I'm different from any of the girls that he grew up around. We just," she nibbled on her bottom lip as she tried to find the words to explain how she felt about Danny to her father, "We complete one another. I feel like I'm missing a part of me when he's not around. And I know he feels the same way. It nearly killed him the last time I came to visit - me pregnant with Lucy and him all by himself at home."

John sighed and squeezed Lindsay's hand before releasing it and turning his attention back to his newspaper.

Lindsay took another sip of coffee and looked at her mother who was standing with her back against the kitchen counter, arms crossed across her chest, and a watery smile on her face.

"What? Mom..."

"I'm so happy for you sweetheart," Dana said. "Danny seems like a really great guy, and he obviously cares about you. All morning long he was talking about you, how amazing you are, how much he loves you." She paused and winked at her daughter. "It doesn't hurt that he's such a cutie, either. You hang onto him, baby. He's a catch."

Lindsay grinned up at her mom. "Yeah, he's alright. I guess I'll keep him," she deadpanned. "Just don't let him hear you call him a cutie. He'll die of shame!"

The attention of the three occupants of the kitchen were suddenly drawn to the sounds coming from the mud room off the kitchen as it was clear that Danny and Lucy were back from their walk. Lindsay caught her mother's eye and the two women smiled knowingly at one another as they listened to Lucy babble excitedly to her father as he took off her hat and coat and untied her little shoes before carrying her into the kitchen. A wide smile spread across Lindsay's face as her rosy-cheeked baby girl came into view in the arms of her daddy.

"Hey, you're up!" Danny said as he leaned down and kissed Lindsay gently on the lips before handing Lucy down to her and taking a seat next to her. "Say good morning to mommy Lucybear."

"Mama!" Lucy squealed excitedly as she clapped her hands then reached out and pulled Lindsay's face close, pressing a sloppy kiss to her cheek. "Mama! Hi mama!"

"Good morning, Lucy! Did you and Daddy have fun with the horseys?"

Lucy smiled and pointed at Danny, "Dada. Haw-see. P'ease?"

Lindsay looked over at Danny. He shrugged back at her. "What? So I was making horsey noises for her outside. And that was supposed to be our secret Luce. Way to go, making daddy look silly," he said as he made a funny face at his daughter and smiled as she collapsed in a fit of giggles.

"Danny, honey, would you like some coffee?" Dana asked.

He turned to her and smiled. "Yes please, Mrs. Monroe," he said.

She handed him a cup of steaming coffee and patted his arm. "How many times do I have to tell you, Danny? Please call me mom. Or, if you don't feel comfortable with that, call me Dana."

Danny grinned at her sheepishly. "Thank you. Sorry... mom," he said.

She squeezed his shoulder gently. "See? That wasn't so hard."

Lindsay reached out her hand under the table and placed it high on Danny's thigh and squeezed gently before turning to him and mouthing, "She likes you."

"Shut up," Danny mouthed back to her before taking a sip of his coffee.

"So, what are you guys up to today?" Dana asked.

"Well," said Lindsay thoughtfully, "We came a day early so that we could spend the whole day with you two. You know, let you get to know Danny and Lucy a bit better, spend some time together. I was thinking that we could maybe spend the day showing these two around Bozeman and maybe grab lunch in town."

"That sounds like a great idea, honey," said Dana. "Oh, Danny. I have some great pictures to show you of Lindsay when she was growing up, would you like to see them?"

Lindsay groaned and Danny wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I would love to see pictures of Linds. Thanks...mom," he said smiling at his mother-in-law.

"Well, we'll pull out the old albums after breakfast," she replied smiling at Danny and giving Lindsay a conspirational wink. "There's nothing I love more than showing off my little girl."

Lindsay sighed in resignation. There was no getting out of it now. Her mother was going to drag herself and Danny in a walk down memory lane whether she liked it or not. She looked up at Danny who was gazing at her and Lucy over the rim of his coffee cup. He smiled at her and took a long sip of the coffee.

"Danny, did Lindsay ever tell you that she was a cheerleader in high school?" asked Dana.

Lindsay tried unsuccessfully to refrain from laughing as Danny nearly choked on his coffee at the question. He looked at her with wide eyes and started coughing, his face turning a bright red. Dana turned to look at the pair of them. Lindsay sat biting her lip and trying to avoid her mother's gaze while Danny continued to sputter, grabbing a Kleenex from the box on the counter as coffee started to drip out of his nose.

"What?" she asked. "Am I missing something?"

Lindsay looked up at her parents who were both watching the newlyweds with narrowed eyes, waiting for an explanation. There was no way that she was going to tell them that a few weeks ago she had not only told Danny that she had been a cheerleader, but had dressed up accordingly and fulfilled one of his longest-standing fantasies in a night filled with passion.

"Oh no," said Lindsay with a hint of amusement in her voice. "Danny just took too big a sip and I think it might have gone down the wrong tube." She reached over and gently patted Danny on the back. "You okay, baby?" she asked.

He glared at her over the top of the Kleenex he still held to his face, his eyes watering as he continued to hack. "Fine, I'm fine," he managed to choke out between coughs.

"Hmm," John muttered before returning his attention to the newspaper in front of him.

Lindsay reached over and ran her fingers through Danny's hair, and leaned in close so that only he could hear her, "I brought it with me, you know," she whispered in his ear. She smiled as his eyes nearly popped out of his head at the prospect of seeing her once again in her cheerleader uniform, then she leaned in and kissed him fully on the lips. She pulled away as her father cleared his throat, clearly not impressed with such displays of affection at his kitchen table.

She was still nervous about going to the reunion tomorrow but she knew that she could get through anything as long as she had the support of the people she loved. She looked down at Lucy and smiled as her little girl tried to sneak a piece of bacon from her plate. She gently pushed the plate out of Lucy's reach then moved to place her in her high chair, positioned between herself and Danny. Once she was satisfied that Lucy was comfortable, she broke up a piece of bacon and placed it on the tray attached to the high chair, along with a spoonful of eggs. Then she turned her attention back to her own hearty breakfast.

Danny sat, eyes still slightly glazed over at the thought of his wife donning her cheerleader's uniform for him once again. She had made one of his all-time, top-five fantasies come true, all because she loved him. He had never really returned the favour - something he had been meaning to do since that night. He had been wracking his brain, trying to think of something he could do that would be as monumentally satisfying as what she had done for him, but so far he had come up with... nothing.

He thought back to the night before - how disappointed she had been when he had put a stop to their fooling around. He hadn't meant to make her feel bad, or even worse - unwanted. He hadn't realized the significance of those words right away, but he had been up most of the night tossing and turning as the words swam through his brain, haunting him.

_You don't want to sleep with me in the bedroom where I grew up? Fine. So what. No one else ever did either._

He had lain and looked at his beautiful wife, sleeping peacefully beside him and he had decided that he needed to show her how much he truly loved her and wanted her.

He sighed as he watched his wife and daughter. Lindsay was taking small bites of her food, while Lucy was grabbing handfuls of egg and bacon and smooshing them into her face, a few particles of food actually ending up in her mouth. He smiled at her and grabbed a napkin to wipe some of the eggy mess from his daughter's face.

He pressed a kiss to Lucy's tiny nose, then let her get back to the massacre of her breakfast. He then reached out a hand and rubbed Lindsay's arm, getting her attention. She looked up at him and smiled then turned back to the plate in front of her. Danny thought about the reunion that they were going to tomorrow. He knew how nervous she was, and he wished that there was some way that he could make her feel better. Give her at least one happy memory of her high school experience.

Then it hit him. An nebulous idea was slowly coming together. It was risky. There was a big chance that he would end up looking like a fool, and an even bigger chance that he would be caught and then drawn and quartered by his father-in-law. Would it be worth it?

Danny looked over at his wife, now sipping her coffee as she had pushed her empty plate away from her. He nodded his head, deciding that there was nothing that he wouldn't do for Lindsay. A slow smile crept across his face as he began to work out the details of his plan.

* * *

**So? What do we think? Are we still wanting to see more? Do we have some idea what Danny has in store for Lindsay? Review and let me know!!!!!!**


	3. Getting To Know You

**Thank you all once again for the reviews! I can't believe the wonderful feedback I've had! And you were all wondering what Danny has up his sleeve. All is revealed below. I hope you enjoy!**

**There is a warning for a lot of fluff in this chapter, so just prepare yourselves. I just can't seem to get enough of Danny and Lucy Daddy/Daughter moments. So, I hope that it's not fluff-overload. Let me know if I need to cut back on the fluff!!! **

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters if you need a reminder that they don't belong to me.**

* * *

Lindsay lay back on her bed, absolutely stuffed from the huge meal her mother had prepared for them after their day exploring Bozeman. She sighed in contentment as she rubbed her full belly, almost wishing that she hadn't had that second slice of chocolate cake. But her mother's cake was too good, and she was home so infrequently that she hadn't been able to resist.

She sat up on the bed. She should really be helping Danny get Lucy ready for bed. Lucy was tired and irritable after her long day and she could hear her giving Danny a hard time in the bathroom as he attempted to give her a bath. She heaved herself up from the bed and padded out into the hallway where she could hear her daughter's shrieks of protest coming from the bathroom. She paused in the doorway and had to suppress the urge to run in and scoop her daughter up as she watched a red-faced Lucy scream at her father, her tiny hands clenched into fists as he poured water over her head to wash out the no-tears baby shampoo, taking extra care not to get any in her eyes.

"Shhh, Lucybear," he tried to sooth the screeching little girl. "I know, I know. You're so sleepy and the last thing you want is Daddy washing your hair. I know. It's okay. We're almost done."

"No, no p'ease dada," Lucy sobbed. "P'ease no. Yoo-see all done. All done, dada."

"That's right, sweetie," Danny continued, "You're being such a good girl, and we're almost done."

Lucy's screaming came down a few decibels as she realized that her torture was almost over. She looked at her father, tears still streaming down her cheeks. "All done?" she managed to choke out, her bottom lip still quivering and her tiny nose running after all her tears.

Danny leaned forward and kissed the top of her head, then he took a towel from the countertop and wrapped Lucy up, cuddling her close to his chest as he calmed her down. "All done, Lucybear," he said softly. "All done. Now it's sleepy time. Let's go find your jammies."

"O-tay," said Lucy as she sniffled into Danny's shirt. As Danny turned to leave the bathroom, he almost ran right into Lindsay who had fallen into a kind of trance, mesmerized by the sight of her husband and daughter.

"Hey, whoa, Linds," Danny exclaimed. "How long you been there? Did you come to offer moral support?" He grinned at her then looked down at Lucy who's eyelids had begun to droop. Even though she was tired, she managed to reach out a tiny hand toward Lindsay.

"Mama," she mumbled sleepily. "Yoo-see want mama. S'eepy time."

Danny rolled his eyes in mock exasperation. "Sure, daddy does all the hard work and mommy gets all the glory. Great."

Lindsay gently took Lucy from his arms. Once she was settled, Lindsay reached out and ran her fingers down his cheek and then leaned forward to place a soft kiss on his chin. "You know she loves you more than life itself, right?" she said.

Danny blushed slightly and goofy smile spread across his face. "Yeah," he said sheepishly. "I do."

"Good," said Lindsay. "Now, you empty the tub and then go down and relax for a few minutes with my folks. I will get this young lady into her jammies and then into bed. I'll be down in a few minutes."

Danny nodded and then kissed Lucy on the forehead. "Night night, sweetpea," he whispered against her head. She was now fighting hard to stay awake, but still managed to wave her tiny hand at Danny as he turned back into the bathroom.

"Night night, dada," she mumbled. "Yoo-see wuv dada."

Danny turned back to his little girl, his eyes shining as he looked up at Lindsay. "Did she just say what I think she said?" he whispered, barely able to believe what he'd heard.

Lindsay nodded her head excitedly, "I heard it too, Dan! She just said that she loved you! She's never said that before!" She looked down at the little girl in her arms who had finally lost the battle with sleep and was now completely zonked out, her little chest rising and falling with each breath.

Lindsay smiled up at Danny as he stroked their little girl's hair lovingly. "She's crazy about you, babe," she said. "And she's not the only one." She grinned at Danny as he looked up at her. "Watching you with her, I just, I think you're so amazing. You're so patient with her. I don't know how you do it."

"Linds," Danny chided her, "She loves you every bit as much as she loves me. You know that. She's a Mommy's _and _Daddy's girl."

"I know that, Danny. I know," she said smiling. Lucy shifted in her arms, stretching lightly. "I'd better get this little one to bed. Go put your feet up for a few minutes, and I'll be down in a bit."

"Okay," said Danny as he reached down to pull the plug out of the bathtub. As Lindsay turned to take Lucy to the guest bedroom where a crib was set up for her, Danny scooped up the soggy towels from the floor and then switched off the light.

He made his way downstairs and pushed open the door to the kitchen. He saw Dana still trying to find room for some of their leftovers in the refrigerator. He glanced around the rest of the kitchen and his eyes bugged out in horror as he saw what his father-in-law was doing. He had carefully spread out the assorted pieces of his disassembled hunting rifle on the kitchen table and was methodically cleaning them, one piece at a time. He looked up as Danny entered the kitchen and gave him a steely glare before returning his full attention back to the task at hand.

"Oh, Danny," Dana smiled from over the edge of the refrigerator door as she attempted to shove one last Tupperware container onto the overflowing shelves, "Is Lucy finished her bath?"

Danny smiled at Dana and nodded. "Yeah, she fell asleep as soon as we were finished. Poor kid's tuckered out. Linds is putting her to bed now."

Dana motioned for Danny to have a seat at the kitchen table. He looked over and swallowed nervously. "Um, I need to, ah, these towels, do you, um..."

"Spit it out, son," said John as he began reassembling the rifle.

"John!" Dana scolded her husband. "You can just put the towels on top of the washing machine and I'll do them tomorrow," she said smiling at Danny.

"Sure, thanks... mom," said Danny as he turned and left the kitchen and headed for the laundry room. As the door closed behind him he heard Dana lay into her husband.

"Why do you have to be so inhospitable, John," Dana hissed. "He hasn't done anything, and he's been nothing but polite to us since he got here."

"Hmph," was John's response.

"And what the hell are you doing with that gun? Since when do you clean your hunting gear at the kitchen table? You have a workshop for jobs like that! Are you trying to terrify Danny?"

"Hmph."

"Well this ends now," she continued. "He and Lindsay are obviously very much in love, and because of him we have a beautiful little granddaughter. So, you be nice to that boy, or so help me, John, you will be sleeping on the couch from now until eternity."

"What?!?" As he listened to his father-in-law sputter in protest Danny couldn't help but smile. He continued down the hall toward the laundry room and dropped off the towels as Dana had instructed. He then turned and stood for a moment, deciding where to go next. He didn't really want to go back to the kitchen where John was now even surlier than he had been only a few minutes ago. Plus he now had a cleaned and fully assembled rifle in his hands.

Deciding to go for a safer option, Danny retreated to the living room. He smiled as he remembered spending a good hour looking through family photo albums with Dana earlier that day. The albums were still spread out over the coffee table and he sat down and began to flip through them again. He smiled to himself as he remembered Lindsay whining everytime they had come to an embarrassing picture of herself - and there were a lot of them - and how Dana had chided her and told her to stop being such a baby.

He turned the pages quickly, looking for his favourite pictures from earlier in the day. Dana had basically kept the photos in chronological order, so it was easy to find the pictures again. He paused as he came to a picture of Lindsay, probably about two years old, wearing a bathing suit that was clearly too big for her. Dana had explained that they had been at the lake just outside of town and had forgotten to bring a swimsuit for Lindsay. Fortunately one of her older cousins had brought a spare suit. They had tied the suit up so that it fit Lindsay and sent her off to go and play by the water. In the picture she was facing away from the camera as she headed toward the lake. Just before the picture had been taken, the knots that had been tied on the back of the suit had come undone and Lindsay's tiny, round backside was peeking out between the shoulder straps as the crotch of the suit dragged on the ground.

Danny had doubled over, crying with laughter at the adorable picture. Lindsay had smacked his knee and pouted at him as he had wiped the tears from his eyes. "It's not funny, Danny," she said. "Mom, please, let's go do something else."

"Montana, come on," Danny said. "You've seen all my embarrassing pictures. It's only fair."

"You didn't have any embarrassing pictures, you jerk," said Lindsay sticking out her lower lip. "You were an adorable baby, and no one was standing around maliciously waiting for the perfect opportunity to preserve your most horrifying moments for posterity."

Bringing himself back to the present, Danny smiled as he continued to flip through the pages, pausing to gaze at pictures of Lindsay, her hair in pigtails and a tiny cowboy hat perched on her head, as she rode horses. There must have been an entire album of just Lindsay with her horse.

Next, Danny came to the album full of Lindsay's elementary school days. She had been a bit bookish-looking, but he still thought that she was probably the most adorable kid he'd ever seen. She had big brown eyes and wavy hair that was always neatly pulled into braids or ponytails. He could see, even back at age six, the determination in her eyes. Here was a picture of a kid that was not going to give up. Danny swelled with pride as he looked at the picture. He hoped that Lucy would have that same determined attitude when she grew up.

When they had finished the elementary school pictures, Lindsay had tried to get them to go out for lunch before they could look at her pictures from high school. Danny understood why - it had been a time of great loss for her, and a time that she really wasn't all that keen to remember. But it was why they were here. And he wanted to know a bit more about her during that time. So Lindsay had gone to take Lucy for a walk and Dana and Danny had sat and looked through the album that chronicled Lindsay's high school career.

Danny had blushed as Dana proudly pointed out Lindsay in her cheerleader uniform at the top of a precarious pyramid. There had been pictures of Lindsay and her group of friends on every page. It was clear that they were inseparable. And it broke Danny's heart when about two thirds of the way through the album, those pictures ended abruptly. And suddenly there were only pictures of Lindsay. Lindsay by herself at the library. Lindsay by herself at homecoming. Lindsay by herself at graduation.

He hadn't realized that he'd been crying until he felt Dana's hand softly on his arm as she handed him a Kleenex. He turned to her and smiled as he accepted the tissue. "Sorry," he said softly, "I just, I knew that it had happened. That she had lost them. But this," he paused and gestured to the heartbreaking images in front of him, "It just kills me to see her so alone like this. She's such an amazing person. And that no one stepped up at her school to try to help her out, be a friend... It pisses me off."

Dana rubbed his arm as he blew his nose. "I know, honey," she said. "It was worse being here in person, let me tell you. But she's a different person now. She's found her confidence again. And really for the first time since she lost her friends, I feel like I have my little girl back. And I have you to thank for that, Danny. You and Lucy have made her happy - really truly happy - for the first time in a long time."

Danny was sitting in the living room with a goofy smile on his face when he suddenly realized that he was not alone. Lindsay had quietly come in and was sitting beside him, looking at the pictures laid out in front of him.

"I haven't looked at these in a long time," she said sadly.

He snaked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "Well, maybe now is a good time to look again," he said. "You're not the same person you were back then. You're so much stronger, and you have so many people behind you who love you and are here to support you."

She smiled at him and then leaned forward and picked up the high school album. "No time like the present, huh?" she said.

* * *

Lindsay was absolutely exhausted. She lay on the bed once again, waiting for Danny to come to bed. While she waited she thought about their day with her parents.

After waking up late and having a leisurely breakfast, her mother had insisted on embarrassing her by showing Danny all of her photos. After, they had all piled into her parent's car and headed into Bozeman for a tour of the area. Then they had gone to one of her family's favourite restaurants for lunch. After lunch, Danny had said that he had some errands to run, so he would meet them back at the car in about half an hour.

She had wondered what on earth Danny could possibly need to do in Bozeman, seeing as he didn't know where anything was, but she had let him go and she and her mother had gone to look at clothes for Lucy while her father had wandered off to the hardware store. True to his word, Danny had been waiting for them when they made their way back to the car, a big brown paper bag in his hand.

"Whatcha got there?" she had asked, pointing to the bag.

"None of your business, Mrs. Messer," Danny had replied, kissing her on the forehead before taking Lucy from her stroller and blowing a loud, wet raspberry on her cheek, causing her to erupt in a fit of giggles.

She had attempted to peek in the bag on the drive home, but Danny had swatted her hand away, telling her that she would find out all in good time.

Once they got home, Dana had suggested that John take Danny out to show him his workshop. Both men had looked less than enthusiastic at the prospect of spending any more time with each other than necessary, but upon seeing the look on Dana's face, they had decided to make the best of it and headed out to the workshop.

Lindsay had turned to her mother with a grin on her face. "You're so mean, mom," she'd said. "Sending poor Danny off with daddy like that. He's not even armed. How is he supposed to defend himself?"

Dana had just laughed as she puttered around the kitchen. "Oh, stop worrying, Lindsay. They'll be fine. They're both grown men," she said. "Besides, your father is on strict instructions to behave or he'll be spending the rest of your time here sleeping out in his workshop. So if he knows what's good for him, he'll play nicely."

The afternoon had passed by pleasantly. Lindsay and her mother had spent time catching up. Dana wanted to know all the details of Lindsay and Danny's work, and was especially interested in how Danny was doing now that he was back on his feet. She had known from Lindsay's frantic phone calls during that difficult time how hard it had been for both of them to deal with the drastic change in their lives, and was so pleased to see him up and around again.

"He's doing well," said Lindsay thoughtfully. "But I know it still bothers him. He doesn't think that I notice him taking painkillers when we have a particularly long shift, but he's adjusting well. And he knows his limits. He's getting better about telling me when things like that are really bothering him."

"Good," said Dana, satisfied. "And how are things... in the bedroom?"

"Mom!" Lindsay was horrified. "Please, we. No. No. No. You know I'll tell you anything, but not that. That's... it's just... it's private," she said as she blushed a bright pink.

"Oh, Lindsay," said her mother, "It's nothing I haven't heard before. Besides, I only ask because I want to know if there's any chance of another grandbaby from you two."

"Well, there's nothing wrong with our... bedroom life..." said Lindsay. "So, you just mind your own business and we'll let you know if there's any developments in that department."

"Just make sure you do," said Dana, winking at her daughter. "I really like him, you know, Lindsay."

Lindsay smiled at her mother. "I do too, mom."

Danny and John had returned from the workshop shortly thereafter. John had gone into the living room to watch the game, and Danny had kissed Lindsay on the lips after making sure that her father was no longer in the room. Then he had whispered quietly so that only she could hear, "You are so lucky that I am madly in love with you."

"So you had fun with my dad, then?" she asked with a smirk on her face.

He shook his head at her. "You are just so damn lucky, you have no idea," he said. "I've been given the third degree and then some. I feel like some suspect in a murder investigation. I either need a stiff drink or a nap. I think a nap would be less self-destructive."

With that he had headed upstairs, the paper bag still tucked under his arm.

She had crept upstairs an hour later to tell Danny that dinner was ready. She had smiled to herself as she watched him sleeping peacefully on her old bed. Her mom was right, he really was a cutie, and even more so when he was sleeping. She had snuck into the room and crawled onto the bed, and leaned over him, her nose hovering just inches above his own. "You're staring again," he had muttered sleepily. "I thought we discussed how creepy it is when you do that."

She laughed as he opened his eyes and blinked up at her. She kissed the tip of his nose. "So when I do it, it's creepy. But when you do it, it's romantic? Whatever," she said. "Mom told me to come wake you. Dinner's ready."

"Five more minutes," he mumbled as he turned onto his side and snuggled deeper under the covers.

"No, baby," she chided him. "Now. Or I'll have daddy come and wake you up instead. And I don't think that he'll be nearly as gentle as me."

She had laughed as Danny had launched himself out of bed, bouncing on the balls of his feet in the centre of the room. "Okay, okay. I'm up. Please don't send your dad after me."

She smacked his behind as he walked past her to quickly wash his face before dinner. "That's better. Now make tracks, cowboy," she said with a wide smile across her face.

After dinner was done and Lucy was tucked snugly in bed, she and Danny had gone through her high school photos together. Dana had joined them after a while and John had come in a short time later. They had watched the news and then Dana had announced that she was heading to bed.

"Goodnight, kids," she said as she kissed first Lindsay and then Danny goodnight. Danny had blushed and mumbled something that sounded like _goodnight mom _back to her. She smiled at him then winked at Lindsay as she went upstairs. A few minutes later John had handed the remote over to Danny and headed off upstairs after his wife. "Goodnight, pumpkin," he called over his shoulder from the stairs.

Lindsay had looked down at the remote then up at Danny and smiled. "He likes you, you know," she said. "He doesn't give just anybody the remote.""Yeah, yeah," muttered Danny. "That's why he was cleaning his gun at the kitchen table. Because he likes me."

Lindsay had laughed and pressed a kiss to his cheek. They had sat cuddled together on the couch for a few more minutes before Danny announced that he was tired and was going to head up to bed as well. Lindsay had told him she was just going to get a glass of water and that she would be right behind him.

When Lindsay had come up to bed, Danny had been brushing his teeth in the bathroom down the hall. She changed into her pyjamas then climbed into bed and got comfortable while she waited for Danny to join her. He had poked his head in the door and told her he was just going to check on Lucy, then he'd be right back. Before heading down the hall to Lucy's temporary room, he had reached into the closet and retrieved his paper bag.

"Danny, seriously," she whined, "what's in the bag?"

He looked at her and wiggled his eyebrows. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked.

"Yes, actually. I would," she huffed at him. "That's why I keep asking."

"Soon, babe," he said winking at her. Then he turned and she heard his footsteps fade away down the hall.

She sighed and settled back on the pillows. She must have dozed off because when she turned to look at the clock a half hour had gone by. She rubbed her eyes and looked over at Danny's side of the bed. She sighed when she saw that it was still empty. Where the hell was he?

She was about to get up and look for him when she heard a sound coming from outside. She waited a moment until she heard it again. It sounded like something was hitting the window. Wiggling out from under the blankets, Lindsay crawled across the bed and leaned toward the window, pulling the curtains back. She squinted into the darkness. She pulled back abruptly as something hit the window with a sharp tap.

"What the hell?" she muttered. She leaned forward again and looked out the window. Her jaw dropped at the sight in front of her. Danny was standing in the yard just under her window, a handful of pebbles clutched in one hand and he was winding up to send another shooting toward her window. But that wasn't what made her heart flutter and her lips curl in a smile. He was wearing a Bozeman Senior Secondary School Letterman jacket, just like the ones the boys on the athletic teams at school had worn back when she'd been a student.

He was looking up at her, still poised to launch the next tiny missile in her direction. Springing into action, Lindsay lifted the sash of the window and stuck her head out. "What are you doing out there?" she whispered loudly.

He grinned up at her. "Quiet, or your dad will hear," he said. "Can I come up?"

She grinned right back at him, catching on to his game. "Better make it quick. I don't want my dad to see you out there!"

Danny didn't need to be told twice. Dropping the stones he had collected on the ground at his feet, he made his way to the tree that grew in the Monroe's front yard. Conveniently, one of the biggest branches jutted out just in front of Lindsay's window. He quickly climbed the tree and made his way out on to the branch before swinging his legs forward and landing with a clatter on her bedroom floor.

"Ouch, crap," he hissed rubbing the back of his head where it had hit on the windowsill.

"Shhh," Lindsay hissed at him, giggling at his unceremonious entrance.

"Sorry Linds," he said sheepishly. "I meant for that to be a lot more romantic."

She looked at him as he stood up and dusted himself off before turning to close the window. "What are you doing, Danny?" she asked. "And where did you get that jacket?"

"You like?" he asked turning a full circle so that she could admire it from all angles.

"Yes, I like," she said. "But where did you get it?"

"Well, after looking through your pictures with your mom this morning I got to thinking. I wanted you to have a good memory of high school, and I thought, well, I don't know. That maybe I could help you make a new one. When you said last night that no one, um, that no one had wanted to... well, you know... when you were in high school it just broke my heart, babe. So I went online this morning to see if there was anyway to get my hands on something from your high school. Some kind of uniform or something. And I found this listed on eBay so I went to the guy's house when we were in town and I bought it from him."

Lindsay's eyes filled with tears as she listened to his words. He had gone through all this trouble for her? He had found something from her time in high school and tracked it down and was wearing it for her now, here, in her bedroom? She was overwhelmed with the love she felt for the man standing in front of her.

"Linds," he asked tentatively, "You okay? Is this... you don't... I'm sorry. I thought that you would like this."

She shook her head as her tears fell freely down her face. "I love it, Danny," she whispered. "You have no idea how much I love it. How much I love you for doing this, for going to all this trouble." As the words left her lips she closed the small distance between them and threw her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely.

Breathless, Danny pulled away and held Lindsay at arm's length. "You sure? Because if you don't want to do this, we don't have to."

She nodded her head enthusiastically at him. "Danny, you are so amazing," she gushed, "I just can't believe that you would do all this for me. And for the record, I thought that your entrance was very romantic," she said as she gently caressed the fabric of the jacket he was wearing.

He smiled bashfully at her. "Really?" When she nodded again he let out a sigh of relief. "Good. Has... has anyone ever done that for you before?"

She shook her head. "No, I never had anyone who was brave enough to potentially face the wrath of my dad!" she giggled.

"Even better," he said. "I don't like the idea of strange boys climbing in your bedroom window anymore than your dad does."

"So, now that you're here, what exactly were you planning on doing, hmmm?" Lindsay asked coyly.

Danny grinned wolfishly at her. "Oh, I intend on giving you one hell of a night to remember, baby," he said before pulling her close and crashing his lips down on to hers.

* * *

**A/N: I know, I know. Tease, tease, tease. But I promise you, we're just getting to the good stuff now. And you know that I'll deliver. I just have to make you squirm for a little while first!!!**

**Please let me know what you think! **


	4. Shhhh!

**A/N: So, now you have an idea of what Danny's plan was and the age old question of "What's in the bag?!?!" has finally been answered. So, what happens next? Well, read on and find out!!!**

**Disclaimer: Seriously? I need to tell you again that they aren't mine? Haven't you been paying attention? As your punishment you must go back and read the first three chapters again. **

* * *

Lindsay's hands roamed down Danny's back has he kissed her and she felt her insides flutter at the low moan of desire that rumbled from Danny's chest as her hands found their way down to his backside and squeezed his firm ass. She could feel his building erection pressing against her belly as she pulled him closer to her, deepening the kiss. She let out a soft whimper as he pulled away leaving both of them gasping for breath.

"Shit, Linds," he panted, "You grab my ass like that again and I'm not gonna be any use to you tonight."

She laughed into his chest as she felt his strong arms wrap around her small frame, pulling her into a tight embrace, his chin resting on the top of her head, her face buried in the crook of his neck. She inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of his cologne mixed with the faint aroma of Lucy's baby shampoo from earlier that night.

"So, I take it you've gotten over your fear of my dad then?" she inquired as she kissed his neck. He chuckled and began to rub her back, his hands skimming from the nape of her neck down to the small of her back. "What's so funny?" she asked.

"Well, I may or may not have hidden all of his ammunition while we were _bonding _in his workshop earlier today," he said with a hint of amusement in his voice.

"Danny!" she exclaimed more loudly than she had intended. She lowered her voice before continuing. "Why did you do that?"

"What?" he asked innocently. "I'll put them back." She pulled back from their embrace and looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "I will, Linds. I swear. Right before we head home on Sunday."

She wasn't sure if he was joking or not, but at this moment in time, she didn't particularly care. All she wanted right now was for him to hold her and to love her. But she couldn't resist having a little fun at his expense. "Well, my dad's a creative guy you know. Just because he has no bullets doesn't mean that the gun is useless. Have you seen it? I'm sure it would work almost as well if he just beat you up with it."

She snuck a peak at Danny and burst out laughing at the horrified expression on his face. "That's not funny Lindsay," he said, shaking his head at her. "Not funny at all. Your dad is a scary guy, Montana. And that's saying something, because I've seen my share of scary guys before, but he's the first one that actually terrifies the living shit out of me."

"Oh, baby. I'm sorry!" she said taking his face in her hands and gently kissing his lips. "He knows how I feel about you, Danny, and I happen to have it on good authority that if he puts so much as a hair out of place on your head that he will be spending the remaining years of his life in absolute misery. Besides, like I said downstairs, he likes you."

"Got a funny way of showing it," Danny muttered as he pulled Lindsay close to him again and kissed her forehead. "Seriously, though," he said, "If we are really going to do this then you have to promise me that you are going to be quiet."

Lindsay glared up at him. "Me? What about you? You're not exactly the strong silent type you know."

"Whatever," said Danny smiling. "Not my fault you make me lose control. You get me all riled up and I can't help it. But you," he said licking his lips as he gazed at her, brushing the backs of his fingers softly across her cheek, "You are just all kinds of noisy when I make you come, baby."

Lindsay was about to protest again when Danny pulled her in and kissed her. His tongue ran across her lips, wanting to gain entrance into her mouth. She pulled his lower lip into her mouth and nibbled on it before opening her lips completely and allowing his tongue to explore her mouth. She sighed as she felt his hands once again running softly up and down her back, going lower with each pass until his hands were cupping her backside.

She let out a soft cry of surprise as she was suddenly lifted up in his arms, her weight supported by his hands under her ass. She leaned forward into him, causing their kiss to deepen even further. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he walked her slowly back toward the bed.

He broke their kiss and she felt herself lowered gently to the bed, Danny supporting her all the way down until she was laid flat on the old and worn comforter. He kneeled over her, straddling her legs with his own as he leaned down and kissed her swollen lips. She closed her eyes as he began to kiss his way from her mouth to her ear, stopping only to take the soft skin of her lobe into his mouth and bite down gently.

Her hands were roaming over every inch of his body that she could reach. She ran her fingers through his hair, then softly rubbed the back of his neck before her hands skimmed over his shoulders. She brought her hands down his biceps and marvelled at the feeling of his muscles under her fingers. Then she trailed her hands back up his arms and down his toned back until she came to his belt and the waistband of his jeans.

"Lindsay," he whispered in her ear," baby, tell me what you want. What do you want me to do? How do you want me to make you come?"

She shivered at his words and felt a deep longing building up in her abdomen at his offer to do anything she wanted. She considered her options carefully, nuzzling his shoulder as she thought.

"Baby?" he asked again, pulling himself away from her ear and looking down at her. She licked her lips as she saw the desire and love he had for her reflected in his eyes.

"I... I want.... Could you..." she stammered nervously, blushing at her inability to vocalize what she wanted.

Danny leaned down and kissed her nose before resting his forehead against her own. "Baby, please," he said gently, "please tell me what you want. I want to make you feel good, Linds. I want to show you how much I love you, and how lucky I feel to have you in my life. Please don't be embarrassed. Just say the words, baby, and I'm yours."

Lindsay brought her hands up to cup his face, rubbing the pads of her thumbs over the rough stubble on his cheeks. She gazed into his eyes and knew that he meant every word he had said. Suddenly all of her reservations and her shyness flew out the window. "I want you to go down on me Danny," she said. "I want to feel your fingers and your tongue in me."

Danny's breath hitched at his wife's words. He leaned in once again and kissed her just below her ear before whispering, "I was really, really hoping that you would say that, baby. You know how much I love to taste you."

He felt her tense in anticipation at his words and he smirked against the soft skin of her neck. He moved his hands down her body until they came to the drawstring waistband of her pyjama bottoms. He made short work of undoing the ties and swiftly hooked his fingers under the fabric and pulled it down to her knees. He had to move from his position straddled across her legs in order to remove the pants fully, so he got up from the bed and stood over Lindsay as he removed the garment, revealing her long slender legs. He ran his eyes up her body, starting from her toes and drinking in the sight of her toned legs until his eyes fell upon her mound of curls. He licked his lips as he thought about what he was about to do.

"God, you are so beautiful, baby," he whispered in awe as he ran his fingers up her leg. He smiled as he felt her body shiver at his touch. He knelt down on the floor beside the bed and grabbed her hips, pulling her to the edge of the bed so that she was perfectly aligned with him for what he was about to do. Then he hitched her legs over his shoulders and leaned forward, breathing in her scent. His mouth watered at the prospect of tasting her arousal.

As he settled himself between her legs he ran his index finger along her slit and felt a heat building in his abdomen as he felt her wetness on the tip of his finger. He wanted desperately to bury his face in her warm core, but he needed to tease her a bit first. He continued to slide his finger up and down and had to suppress a moan of desire as he saw Lindsay begin to writhe on the bed, fisting the comforter in her hands as she bit her lip, trying to keep herself from crying out.

"You like that, baby?"

"Oh, yeah Danny," she whispered back at him before closing her eyes to fully enjoy the feeling of his fingers as they caressed her.

Smiling to himself, he leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her curls before he moved downward, placing soft lapping kisses on her folds before he gently swiped his tongue up the length of her slit. God, she tasted so good. Her unique flavour never failed to amaze him, and he marvelled at the fact that she was so wet for him already, and he hadn't even begun.

He continued to alternate between kisses and gentle licking before he pulled her lips apart and took her clit in his mouth and sucked, gently at first, but soon he added more pressure.

"Oh, God, Danny," Lindsay hissed in pleasure as her hips arched up to his mouth.

Lindsay whimpered as Danny pulled away momentarily. "Shhh, baby, you gotta keep it down, remember?" he reminded her softly.

"I can't help it, Danny," she panted, albeit more quietly this time. "You're driving me crazy. Please stop teasing me," she begged.

Danny grinned at her and winked, placing a kiss to her sensitive inner thigh. "You love it, babe," he whispered against her thigh and he began to trace circles on the soft skin with the tip of his tongue. "Now be quiet and let me concentrate. I'm very busy right now."

Lindsay sighed. At first it was a sigh of exasperation, but it soon turned into a low moan of pleasure as she felt Danny's kisses slowly trail from the inside of her thigh down to her wet centre. Her breath caught in her throat as he took her clit in his teeth and tugged lightly. Her body arched involuntarily toward him once more as she felt him kiss his way down to her core. She felt him insert his tongue into her entrance and she clenched her internal muscles around him. She couldn't help the gasp of pleasure that escaped her lips as she felt rather than heard the growl of desire coming from Danny that stimulated her already aching arousal even further.

She bit her lip as she felt his mouth move back upwards as he once again focused his oral attentions on her clit and she shuddered in excitement as she felt his finger gently circling her entrance. She whimpered, needing to feel him more fully, more deeply. "Please baby," she begged, "Please, oh God, just... oh my God... Danny..." she trailed off as he pulled his face away once more, resting his chin on her pile of curls and looking up at her with a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Montana," he whispered, "Keep it down up there or I swear to God I will put you over my knee and give you something to moan about."

She looked down at him and her heart seemed to miss a beat at the unabashed desire on his face and the glint of her wetness on his lips. "Please baby," she whispered, "Please, I need you. Just... just..."

"Just what, Lindsay," Danny said quietly as he slowly inched his index finger inside of her.

"Just... oh my God!" she exclaimed as he slid his finger in to her fully and began to pump in and out. She instantly clapping her hands over her mouth as she realized how loudly she had shouted.

Danny froze. He looked at her with wide eyes, his heart beating loudly in his chest. There was no sound in the room as they both held their breaths, straining to listen for any indication that they had been heard in the next room. After what seemed like hours, but was probably more like 30 seconds, Danny exhaled and looked up at his wife.

"Jeez Montana," he whispered with a smirk plastered across his face. "I know I'm good, but seriously. You have got to learn some self control. I think I may have had a small stroke, and my life was definitely flashing before my eyes."

She couldn't contain the giggle that was bubbling out of her. "I told you to stop teasing me!" she laughed. "I warned you that I wasn't going to be able to keep it in much longer."

"Yeah, well," he said quietly, "It's a good thing that your folks are heavy sleepers. Now, are you going to be a good girl for me and keep your voice down?"

Lindsay nodded her head solemnly and made a motion of crossing her heart before giving him a playful wink.

"Alright then, where were we?" Danny said as he disappeared once more between her legs.

* * *

**A/N: So? What did you think? What's that? You want more smut? Like a whole other chapter after this one? What are you - animals?**

**Well, okay. Since you asked so nicely I will see what I can do to make that happen!!!**


	5. Yippee Ka Yay!

**A/N: You guys are such a bunch of smut-fiends. I can't believe it. I've created a monster, and the monster says "More smut. Right now!" And who am I to argue with a monster? So I say "Okay! Here you go! Enjoy!!!"**

**Disclaimer: I will not say it again. No. I refuse. Go read the previous chapters if you have no idea what I'm talking about.**

* * *

_Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod. _

_Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!_

Lindsay Messer lay on her back, her legs splayed over her husband's shoulders with his face buried between her thighs. She was having a hell of a time keeping her promise to stay quiet. She had tried everything. She'd thought about puppies. She'd thought about blood spatter analysis. She'd even tried to picture Sid Hammerback in a dress. But nothing was working. The feeling of Danny's talented tongue and lips on her clit and his fingers pumping in and out of her was too much to bear. She'd reached up and grabbed a pillow from the head of the bed and as she felt the coil in her abdomen snap she shoved the pillow over her face and bit down, screaming into the downy softness as her body arched and her muscles contracted.

As Lindsay lay there, basking in the sensation of her body coming down from its exquisite high, she felt Danny shift slightly below her and felt his hands move up as he gently rubbed her thighs.

"You okay up there, Linds?" his voice was muffled by the pillow still covering her face. She still didn't trust herself to speak, so she simply grunted in approval of his amazing performance.

She felt him press a soft kiss to her inner thigh before he lifted her legs and placed them gently on the bed, her feet dangling over the edge. The mattress dipped as he crawled up beside her and she smiled as she felt the pillow lifted off her face. She cracked one eye open and looked up at her husband who was beaming down at her, laying on his side with his head propped up on one arm. With his other arm he reached out and drew lazy circles on her belly, still covered by the thin fabric of her tank top.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey back at you," he replied as he smiled smugly at her.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," he said. "You've just, you've got something on your face, babe."

"What?" Lindsay's eyes popped open and her hand flew up to her face and she blushed as she realized that she had a feather sticking out of her mouth. She picked up the feather and held it in front of her then looked at Danny who let out a bark of laughter at the expression on her face.

"So, I guess I don't need to ask if you enjoyed yourself," he chided her as he took the feather from her and held it in the palm of his hand for a moment before blowing lightly and sending the feather sailing gracefully across the room. He then picked up the pillow that Lindsay had used to stifle her screams of pleasure and examined the small hole that she had bitten in the casing. Poking the small tear with his finger he laughed as he said, "I think we need to buy your folks a new pillow for this bed, or else we'll have some explaining to do."

Lindsay giggled as she took the pillow from his hands and hit him over the head with it, sending a new shower of small downy feathers cascading down on the pair of them. She shuddered with laughter as she watched Danny pull a handful of feathers out of his own mouth before turning to her and glaring at her with narrowed eyes.

"Hey, Danny," she said through her laughter, "You've got something on your face!"

"Oh, yeah. Real mature Montana," he pouted. "I go out of my way to make this night special for you and you return the favour by pelting me with your bedding. Awesome." He jutted his lower lip out and gave her his very best puppy dog eyes.

"Aw, poor baby," said Lindsay in mock sympathy. "Come here and I'll make it all better."

She reached out to him and grasped the lapels of the Letterman jacket he was still wearing and pulled him on top of her. She could feel his heart beating as his chest rested against her own. Her fingers glided up to the back of his neck and she pulled him to her, pressing soft little kisses to his face and giggling as he tried to maintain his pout and keep himself from smiling.

As she ran her fingers along the sensitive skin at the nape of his neck, he lost the battle and broke out in the huge 100-watt smile that she loved so much. "Alright, alright. You win baby," he said between kisses. "You know I can't resist you."

"I know," she said as she grabbed his lower lip between her teeth and tugged on it, running her tongue along the soft skin before releasing his lip and smiling up at him. "It's my country charm. You're putty in my hands."

"Mmmm," he sighed as he leaned down to nuzzle her neck and she giggled as his stubbly cheek ticked her shoulder. She let the amazing sensations of his lips on her body take over for a moment. She closed her eyes as she felt him pull down the shoulder straps of her tank top and exhaled slowly as she felt his hands caressing her bare breasts.

"Danny?" she asked tentatively.

"Hmmm?" he responded while his lips trailed down her collar bone to catch up to his hands.

"Danny, I want you to do something for me."

He stopped what he was doing and looked up at her, confusion in his eyes. "Um, Linds? I thought I was doing something for you."

She stroked his hair reassuringly. "Oh, don't worry, baby," she said, "You definitely are. But I don't want to do this here."

"What?"

"I want to be with you, baby," she said quickly, "But there's something I've always wanted to do, and we might not get another chance for a long time. Will you do that for me?"

Danny continued to stare at her, dumbfounded. "Sorry, what am I doing?" he asked sitting up beside her on the bed.

She sat up and faced him, pulling up her straps and covering her previously exposed chest once more. She smiled at him. "You said that we could do anything that I wanted, right?" she asked coyly.

"Yes," Danny said warily. "Within reason. I mean, I draw the line at having sex with you while your parents are actually in the room with us."

"Ew! Danny!" Lindsay said as she smacked him lightly on the arm. "No, that's not what I meant."

"Well then," he said shrugging his shoulders and taking her hand in his, "Whatever it is, I'm game."

"Good!" she said as she leaned forward and kissed his nose before hopping off the bed and retrieving her pyjama pants from the floor. Once she was redressed, she grabbed Danny's big comfy hooded sweat shirt from the suitcase and pulled it over her head before moving to the door. With her hand poised over the doorknob she turned back to Danny who was still sitting on the bed looking a bit lost. "Well?" she asked. "Are you coming or not?"

He got up from the bed and walked over to her as she turned the knob and carefully pulled open the door, wincing at the creak of the hinges. She let her eyes adjust to the darkness of the hallway before she tiptoed out the door and down the stairs. She could hear Danny right behind her and felt his hand on the small of her back as he followed her. She felt her gut tighten in anticipation. She was really looking forward to this.

When they got to the bottom of the stairs Lindsay turned to Danny and whispered in his ear, "I just need to grab a few things. Wait for me on the porch, okay?" She could see the confusion in his eyes, but he just nodded before placing a kiss to her forehead then turning and making his way quietly through the kitchen. She waited until she heard the back door close behind him before heading to the closet to retrieve the items that she needed.

Danny bounced on the balls of his feet, his hands in the pockets of his jeans as he waited for Lindsay. He had no idea what the hell she was up to, but she'd had a look in her eye that told him that he just needed to trust her, and that he would not regret whatever it was that she had in store for him.

He turned when he heard the back door open and Lindsay emerged beside him, a tote bag slung over her shoulder. "Um, going somewhere, Montana?" he asked with a grin on his face.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she responded, teasing him with his own words from earlier that day.

He sighed. She was just as stubborn as he was and she wasn't going to let him in on her plan before she was ready. He just shook his head in resignation and motioned down the stairs of the back porch. "Ladies first."

"Always the gentleman," she giggled. She linked her arm through his and together they made their way down the stairs and off across the Monroe's large property. He couldn't stop looking at her, the way the moonlight reflected off her face, giving her an ethereal glow. He was so engrossed in her that it took him a moment to register that they had stopped walking. He looked up and took in their surroundings.

Lindsay looked up at him as he gazed at the huge barn, then turned to look back at her. "Okay, I give up Linds," he said. "What are we doing at the barn?"

She smiled before dropping the tote bag and reaching in and fishing out an old, worn cowboy hat and placing it on his head. Then she stood up on her tippy toes and skimmed her lips across his, hovering on the edge of a kiss. "I figured it was about time you earned your nickname, cowboy," she purred before pressing her lips fully against his and kissing him deeply. His arms instinctively wrapped around her petite frame and he held her as close as he possibly could, feeling the entire length of her body against his own. He shivered as Lindsay moaned loudly into his mouth.

He pulled away from her and grinned down at her. "Did I ever tell you that I like the way you think, Mrs. Messer?" he asked, tipping his hat to her.

She giggled into his chest before wiggling out of his grasp and pulling open the barn door. She beckoned him to follow her. Once inside, she made her way to the ladder in the far corner and started to climb. Danny had picked up the tote bag from where Lindsay had dropped it outside and slung it over his shoulder before following her inside and up the ladder. As he emerged onto the platform he heaved the tote onto the floor beside him before kneeling and pulling himself fully onto the wooden floor.

Lindsay moved beside him, pulling items out of the tote. He realized that she had brought a warm blanket and a battery-powered camp light which she turned on. He watched as she proceeded to spread the blanket on the floor before she crawled into the centre, kicking off her shoes and pulling off her sweat shirt. She held her hands out to him and he smiled as he crawled across the hay-strewn loft toward his wife, a vision of beauty with her hair ruffled from their previous activities in the bedroom, her cheeks flushed with excitement and the soft light of the lamp giving her a golden glow.

"You're so beautiful," he said as he settled next to her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"You're not too bad yourself, cowboy," she said nodding up to the hat he was still wearing.

"So," he said, looking around them while his fingers trailed lightly up and down her bare arm. "You've got me here. Now what are you going to do with me?"

She blushed under his attentive gaze. "I've always wanted to, you know, do it with a cowboy," she said smiling. "And you're my cowboy, baby. So can we please..."

She was cut off as Danny leaned in and kissed her passionately, his tongue thrusting into her mouth and she let out a moan of desire as his hands moved to push her down gently onto the blanket. He shrugged out of the jacket he was wearing and unbuttoned his shirt before throwing it haphazardly over his shoulder. She fisted her hands in his wife beater and pulled him back down to her, drawing him into yet another ferocious kiss.

All of the longing that they had been holding back while in the house, for fear of being heard, was instantly forgotten. Lindsay's hands skimmed down Danny's back and she reached around and cupped his ass, squeezing hard before she released her grip and brought her hand back down, slapping his backside sharply. He moaned loudly and broke apart from their kiss. "Fuck, Montana," his voice was thick with the lust that he had been holding back for the past two days. "Do that again and you'll regret it."

Lindsay contemplated his threat while he feasted on her shoulder. She smiled wickedly to herself as she realized that she wanted nothing more than to find out what he would do if she continued. She gave his ass another squeeze before raising her hand and bringing it down once again. She bit her lip to hold back the squeal of laughter that was threatening to erupt from her as he slowly drew his head back and looked at her, that glint in his eyes causing a familiar wetness to build once again between her legs.

"What did I just say?" he asked in a low voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about Danny," Lindsay said, batting her eyelashes at him coquettishly.

He grinned down at her. "Alright," he huffed. "You asked for it."

Before she knew what was happening, Danny was sitting up and had flipped Lindsay over so that she was lying on her front and Danny was straddling her legs from behind.

She moaned with pleasure as she felt his hand lightly smack her backside. "That was a very bad thing you did, young lady," he growled at her. "I'm the one who does the spanking around here. You got that, Montana?"

"I'm sorry, Danny," she whispered. "I didn't hear you. What did you say?"

She let out a shriek of satisfaction as she felt his hand connect with her ass again and then he squeezed her cheek gently with his fingers. He continued to tap her backside with one hand and she let out another groan of pleasure as she felt his other hand slide in between her thighs and his fingers massaged her through the fabric of her pyjama bottoms.

"Oh, God, Danny!" she exclaimed as his fingers found her clit and he began rubbing her roughly as her hips arched up.

"God, baby, you're so wet," he groaned as his fingers grazed over the soaking fabric . "Say that you want me."

"Danny, I want you," she whimpered.

"Say it louder, baby," he demanded as his fingers continued to stroke her. His other hand moved up from her backside and his fingers were tracing intricate patterns on the sensitive skin of her lower back.

"Danny, I want you!" she yelled, her voice breaking with desire.

"What do you want me to do, baby?" he said huskily.

"Oh, God!" she begged, "Please Danny! I want you inside me!"

His hands moved from their previous positions and she felt his fingers hook into the fabric of her pants as he drew them down her legs. When her lower body was completely exposed to him he leaned down and kissed the area just above the swell of her cheeks, and she released a long, low moan at the sensation of his warm breath on her skin.

Goosebumps started to form on her skin as she heard the clink of his belt buckle and the zip of his pants as he freed himself from his own clothes. He nudged her legs apart and she arched up to get that long-awaited contact with his body as soon as possible.

He lowered himself onto her, his knees in between her own and his abdomen pushed up against her back and she could feel the tip of his erection as it pressed against her wet centre.

"Oh, Danny, baby!" she called out as he slid into her.

"Fuck, Linds," he moaned into the back of her neck. "You're so tight, honey. God, you feel so good."

He kept still, letting her adjust before he withdrew completely from her. Her body tensed in anticipation and as he delved back into her, and she bucked her hips back, taking him in as deeply as she could.

They continued at this slow pace, him pulling out slowly and then plunging back in and her thrusting herself up to meet him each time until it was too much.

"Danny, baby, please," she panted. "Faster. Harder. Please."

"Fuck, Linds," he grunted as he picked up his pace. "I'm not going to last here, babe."

Taking her cue from him, Lindsay snaked one hand down the front of her body until she found her clit and she began rubbing in time to the furious pace he was now setting, pounding into her from behind while she writhed and moaned in pleasure underneath him.

She felt herself getting closer and closer to the edge, and she knew by the way that Danny was panting and grunting that he wasn't far behind her.

"Come on, cowboy," she moaned, her breath ragged, "Ride me harder, baby."

She felt him adjust himself so that he could get a better angle then he continued to thrust down into her, hitting her perfectly at the same spot each time, sending her spiralling over the edge screaming his name.

Hearing his wife reach her climax, Danny felt her muscles contracting around his cock and with one final thrust he reached his orgasm, calling out her name and spilling inside of her.

"Lindsay," he breathed as he felt her muscles continue to twitch as her release ebbed slowly away. "I love you so much, baby," he whispered in her ear, kissing her neck gently. "I didn't hurt you, did I sweetheart?" he asked as he pulled out of her and rolled onto his back beside her.

She turned onto her side and reached out to stroke his face. "No, baby," she whispered. "You didn't. That was amazing. Thank you. Thank you for doing this with me."

He sat up and took the cowboy hat off his head and placed it on her own head. "Happy to oblige, little lady," he said in a terrible western twang.

She giggled at him, then sat up and reached into the tote bag, pulling out a second blanket that she proceeded to wrap around them both.

"I'm glad we came out here," she sighed as she cuddled into his chest.

"Yeah? Was it as good as you imagined it would be?" he asked, a hint of nervousness in his voice.

She grinned up at him and winked before placing a chaste kiss to his chest. "It sure was, baby," she said. "Plus, we could make all the noise we wanted without having to worry about anybody hearing us."

He chuckled as he wrapped his arms around his wife. "See, I told you," he gloated. "All kinds of noisy. You just can't help yourself."

She smacked his chest lightly. "Shut up," she chided him. "You're such a jerk."

"Nah," he teased. "You love it."

She smiled to herself and pulled the blanket more tightly around them, shivering at the cold that seemed to pervade the barn now that the heat of their arousals had died down.

"You cold?" he asked her, rubbing her back to keep her warm. "You wanna go back inside, babe?"

She nodded sleepily as he shifted under her to get up and retrieve their discarded clothes. He handed her the pyjama bottoms and her sweater before putting his own jeans back on, shoving his underwear into his pocket.

"Ooh. Going commando," she purred as she wrapped her arms around him from behind as he packed up their belongings. "Sexy."

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Montana," he said. "You're insatiable! What am I gonna do with you?"

"Round two, tomorrow night?" she suggested, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her nose. "It's a date."

He waited for her to descend the ladder before passing her the tote and climbing down himself. Hand in hand they headed back to the house, exhausted yet satisfied.

Tomorrow would be a long day for them, and Lindsay was still nervous about seeing some of the faces from her high school class. But she knew that the prospect of another night like this one could get her through anything. She had Danny Messer by her side and she was never letting go.

* * *

**So? Smutty enough for you? I hope so. Wait, what? You want more? Jeez. You know, I actually have a story I'm trying to tell here. **

**Okay fine. But you will have to be patient and wait, because the next chapter is about the reunion. So, I'll try to throw in some loving moments, with a bit of fluff sprinkled in here and there and then I promise that we'll see more smut later on. Okay? Okay. **

**Please review! Or if you're too shy to review, send me a PM. I'd love to hear from you!!!**


	6. Reunion Part 1

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews. I am so glad that the smut was to your satisfaction! **

**This chapter has no smut (aww!) but it does have some fluff and some Lindsay jealousy (yay!). And fear not - I aim to please, so there will be more smut coming up soon (yay!).**

**Anyways, I will shut up now and let you get on with the reading.**

**Disclaimer: Still not mine. **

* * *

"Mama! Dada! Yoo-see up p'ease!"

Dana Monroe put down the book she had been reading at her kitchen table and smiled at the sound of her granddaughter's voice calling for her parents. She climbed the stairs and moved to the door at the end of the hall where Lindsay's old crib had been set up for Lucy to use during their visit.

As she peeked around the edge of the door, she couldn't help but smile at the little girl sitting in her crib, playing happily with a frayed old bear that had seen better days.

"Good morning, Lucy!" Dana said cheerfully as she entered the room. "How's my pretty little girl doing this morning?"

"G'amma!" Lucy squealed excitedly as she raised her arms, wanting to be picked up. "G'amma, Yoo-see up p'ease!"

Dana leaned down and picked Lucy up, pressing a kiss to her cheek. Lucy smiled at her, then twisted in her arms, leaning back toward her crib.

"Is this what you want, sweetheart?" Dana asked as she reached down and picked up the bear. Lucy squealed in delight and clapped her hands as her precious teddy was offered to her. She took it gently in her little hands and kissed his nose. Dana made her way downstairs again, a wide smile spreading across her face as she listened to Lucy babble away happily to the teddy.

Upon entering the kitchen, she found her husband was back from his early morning chores and was finishing a cup of coffee. "Morning, dear," she said as she got Lucy and her bear settled in her high chair.

"Morning, hon," he replied. Looking up from his newspaper, he smiled at his wife and then turned his attention to the little girl bouncing merrily in the high chair. She grinned at him and he couldn't help but notice her strong resemblance to his son-in-law. Lucy had her mother's nose, but the rest of her - from her blond hair and blue eyes to her cheeky smile - were all Danny.

He sighed as he thought about his son-in-law. He really wasn't _all_ bad. Actually, John thought he was kind of funny – in a brash, wiseass kind of way. But he was also polite and thoughtful and most importantly of all to John, he loved Lindsay. It was obvious every time they were in a room together that they were crazy about one another. Their mutual affection and attraction was almost palpable, but thankfully they were never showy about it. They were careful to limit their public displays of affection to quick kisses and the occasional touch, some hand-holding or a hug. John smiled as he remembered back when he and Dana had first gotten married and how they had been unable to keep their hands off one another.

When he had first met Danny, John had been unsure. But after spending some time with him, he had decided that he would cut his son-in-law some slack. Dana had gently reminded him that it was only since she and Danny had become truly serious that Lindsay had really started to smile again. Any guy who could bring his little girl back to him, as well as give him a beautiful, healthy granddaughter, was all right in his book.

"You look like you're a million miles away, John," Dana mused as she sat down beside him sipping her own coffee.

"Hmm. Just thinking," he said.

Dana smiled up at her husband. "About what?" she prodded.

John reached over and picked Lucy up out of her high chair and settled her on his lap. "I was just thinking about how much Lucy here looks like Danny," he said. He looked up and saw that Dana had raised her eyebrows at him.

"And?"

"And I was thinking that I'm okay with that."

"Oh yeah?" Dana asked with a knowing smile on her face. "So you've come over to the dark side then."

"Well, I wouldn't say that," he said smiling down at Lucy who was showing him her bear. "Let's just say that after talking with him yesterday afternoon, I've decided that if he makes my little pumpkin happy, and he's good to this little monkey right here, then I guess I can tolerate him."

"Well, that's good to hear John," said Dana as she patted his arm affectionately. "Because I really like him. And I can't help but notice how Lindsay's a completely different person now. He's really brought out the best in her. She's more outgoing and confident now, just like she was when she was little."

"Hmmm," said John in agreement as he ticked Lucy gently under her chin. Both he and his wife smiled broadly as the little girl's laughter filled their kitchen. Lucy held her teddy tightly in her arms as she giggled, then she shoved him in her grandfather's face.

"G'appa," she squealed, "Hi Tee Bah!"

"Oh, now who's this handsome fellow?" John asked as Lucy attempted to shove the bear into his mouth. Chuckling he said, "No thank you, Lucy. Grandpa's not hungry for bear this morning."

Dana sipped her coffee and smiled to herself as she watched her husband and her granddaughter as they got to know one another. After finishing her coffee, she looked up at the clock.

"I think I'll go and see if Lindsay and Danny plan on getting up for breakfast this morning. I know Lindsay had a few things that she wanted to get done before they head out for the reunion."

"Okay," John said as he placed Lucy back in her high chair. "Lucy and I will hold down the fort for a few minutes."

Dana patted her husband on the head as she headed for the stairs. "You do that, dear."

She ascended the stairs and paused in front of Lindsay's childhood bedroom door. She knocked softly. "Are you decent?" she called out in a low voice.

She listened hard. Hearing no response from inside the room she turned the knob and pushed open the door. She paused in the doorway, a smile spreading across her face as she took in the sight in front of her.

Danny was lying on his front, his arms tucked under his pillow and his head turned facing away from the door. Lindsay was sprawled out across the bed, her head resting on Danny's shoulder, her arm clutched possessively around his bare back. Both were breathing slowly and deeply, indicating that they were nowhere near consciousness just yet.

Dana stood in the doorway for a moment. She smiled and could feel tears begin to form in her eyes at the sweet and intimate scene in front of her. As she was about to close the door to give the pair their privacy, she saw Lindsay begin to stir, and she pressed a soft kiss to Danny's shoulder blade, her hand skimming down his spine and coming to rest on the ugly scar that indicated where he had been shot only a few months earlier.

Dana backed out of the room and stood in the hallway for a moment as the tears that had built up began to fall. Her little girl was all grown up. She thought about the way that Lindsay had lovingly caressed Danny's back and how her hand had rested protectively on his scar. She knew how scared Lindsay had been when she'd almost lost Danny, and that scar was a constant daily reminder of how close she had come to losing him, and how much they meant to one another.

Dana took a deep breath, collecting her thoughts and wiping her eyes before she poked her head through the open doorway once again, knocking on the doorjamb.

"Wakey wakey," she called cheerfully into the room. At the grunts of protest from her daughter, she smiled and moved to the window to draw back the curtains.

Lindsay pulled the blankets over her head and Danny buried his head further into his pillow as the early morning light attacked them, forcing them from their sleep. "I'm making waffles and sausages for breakfast. Come on. Up you get!"

"Mom!" Lindsay whined, "Leave us alone. It's too early!"

Dana smiled at the lump under the blanket that was her daughter. "Lindsay Ann Monroe!" she said.

"Messer," Lindsay mumbled from within her cocoon.

Dana rolled her eyes. "Okay, Lindsay Ann Messer! Get your butt out of bed. Breakfast will be ready in 15 minutes and your daughter wants you. Now get up!"

* * *

Lindsay scanned her eyes nervously over the crowd of people milling around the fairgrounds. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she tried to calm herself before getting out of the car. The door opened beside her and she turned to see Danny standing beside her, his hand reaching out and taking her own.

"You okay?" he asked softly, concern evident in his eyes.

"Yeah," she smiled at him. "Yeah. I'm fine. It's just, some of the faces seem vaguely familiar. But it's been a long time, Dan. I just need a minute okay?"

He nodded at her, then raised their joined hands and pressed a soft kiss to her fingers. "I'll just grab the stuff out of the trunk. When you're ready, you and Lucy can join me, okay?"

She smiled up at him and leaned forward, pursing her lips, asking for a kiss. He obliged and she felt her heart flutter as his lips touched hers. He pulled away and ran his fingers through her hair before turning and heading around to the back of the car. She heard him open the trunk and the rustle and clink of the things they had brought with them, including some folding chairs, a picnic basket and cooler, and Lucy's diaper bag. She leaned back against the head rest and closed her eyes for a moment.

When she heard the trunk close, she opened her eyes to watch Danny walk away, heading off into the fairgrounds to claim them a good spot on the open field where some of the day's activities were to take place. She couldn't help sneaking a peak at his perfect backside as he walked away, his arms laden with their assorted paraphernalia.

Lindsay shook her head and brought her mind out of the gutter, realizing that now was not the time to be thinking about how amazing his firm ass felt in her hands. She turned to Lucy who was sitting in the car seat behind her. "You ready to go play, Luce?" she asked.

Lucy looked up at her mother and grinned. "Yoo-see p'ay?" she asked.

Lindsay smiled as she unbuckled her seat belt and hopped down from the front seat. Shutting the door, she moved around the vehicle to her daughter's door and opened it. "Okay, Lucy. Let's go find Daddy and have some fun!"

"Yoo-see p'ay Dada!" Lucy squealed as she clapped her hands and kicked her little feet in excitement.

Lindsay gathered her little girl in her arms and closed the door, locking the car behind her. Then she and Lucy headed of into the crowds to find Danny.

* * *

"Hey there. Do I know you?"

Danny paused as he was setting up their stuff and stood, turning to face the voice. He came face to face with a tall, blond woman who was wearing far too much make-up and far too little clothing for such a casual event. She was standing in his personal space, and he was a little uncomfortable with the way she was leering at him.

"Uh, no," he said as he took a step back. "Probably not."

She smirked at him in a way that she clearly thought was attractive. "I didn't think so," she purred. "I'm pretty sure I would remember someone like you."

Danny stared at the woman in front of him and was kind of appalled at her brazenness. Here he was, setting up a _pair_ of chairs and some baby toys, and she was hitting on him? Using his left hand, he pushed his sunglasses up his nose, hoping that she would take notice of his wedding band and leave him alone.

"Um, well, thanks," he said. "I think," he added under his breath. He gave the woman a polite nod and a smile and then turned to go back to unpacking their things. As he turned and bent over, he could feel her eyes on him and he sighed. He looked over his shoulder just in time to catch her staring at his ass. He turned back toward her and her eyes continued to gaze approvingly just below his belt buckle.

"Ahem," Danny cleared his throat. "Eyes up here, lady," he said, snapping his fingers to get her attention. He stifled a laugh as she met his gaze and blushed at being caught out. But she recovered quickly.

"Sorry," she demurred, winking at him. "Just enjoying the... scenery." Danny fought hard to keep from wrinkling his nose in disgust as she flicked her long, overly bleached hair over her shoulder, and pushed her chest out, trying to get him to notice her. All he noticed was that she looked like she had spent a few too many hours under the sun lamp and her skin was an unnatural orange colour and looked a bit like a piece of leather.

The woman stuck her hand out to him. "I'm Belinda Jordan. I don't believe I caught your name." Danny reluctantly extended his hand, grasping her limp fingers in his own.

"Danny Messer," he said. "Nice to meet you, Belinda." He tried to pull his hand away after what he felt was a polite amount of time, but her grasp suddenly became surprisingly firm. Grimacing in discomfort at the way the woman was now licking her lips and eyeing him, Danny yanked his hand out of her grip and backed away.

Not taking the hint, Belinda took a step forward as Danny took a step back, advancing well into his personal space.

"You know, Danny," Belinda said in what Danny was sure she felt was an alluring voice, "There really isn't much going on here this afternoon. We could take off, have some fun, get to know one another better…"

Danny glared at the woman in front of him, his irritation increasing rapidly every time she flicked her hair or batted her eyes at him. Obviously the subtle clues he had been dropping regarding his unavailable and _uninterested_ status were lost on her. So he decided on the direct approach. The New York Approach, as Lindsay called it.

"Actually, I'm here with my wife and daughter," he said making sure he laid the Staten Island on nice and thick, "and I'd appreciate it if you showed a little respect and backed off, okay?"

The woman stood gaping at him as he turned his back on her dismissively and continued to lay out their assorted things. He smiled to himself as he heard her sputter in protest as she stalked away. Looking up, he saw a familiar pair of brown eyes smiling back at him. He grinned as Lindsay walked toward him, Lucy resting on her hip.

"Making friends already, Danny?" she asked with a smirk in her voice. "I thought you were old enough to know that you need to play nicely with the other kids."

Danny wrapped his arms around her and kissed first Lindsay's then Lucy's foreheads. "Don't ever, _ever_, leave me alone with that woman ever again. You got it, Linds?"

She smiled back up at him. "You got it, babe."

* * *

Walking from the car with Lucy on her hip, Lindsay had paused to scan the crowd, searching for Danny's familiar green t-shirt.

"Dada!" Lucy giggled and Lindsay's eyes followed where her daughter's chubby finger was pointing. Sure enough, she had found her daddy. Together they watched as he laid out the blanket and began sorting through their belongings.

Lindsay was about to move toward Danny when she saw a tall, leggy blond woman approach him. She stood back a moment and watched as Danny turned to face the woman. Although it had been 15 years, Lindsay instantly recognized the face of Belinda Jordan. She had been Head Cheerleader during Lindsay's senior year, and was the girl that every guy had wanted to be with. And she had made Lindsay's life a living hell.

Lindsay thought back to all the times that Belinda had tormented her. She had teased her, called her names, pulled her hair, played cruel pranks on her, and spread gossip about Lindsay, ensuring that she was a social pariah during that terrible year.

Lindsay hadn't understood what she had done wrong, what she had done to deserve the torture that Belinda and her friends doled out on a daily basis. She was never a threat to them. She was too shy and bookish to steal boys away from them. In High School, Belinda Jordan could have had her pick of any boy in town.

And now her sights were set on Danny, and Lindsay could feel her blood boiling in her veins. She watched intently as Belinda drooled over her husband. She had to fight off the urge to run over and gouge out the woman's eyes when Danny bent over to arrange Lucy's toys and Belinda began to blatantly check out his ass.

She was sure that steam was coming out of her ears as Danny turned around once more and Belinda continued to stare at his crotch. She was about to take action when she saw Danny had noticed that Belinda's attention was focused a little too far south of the border, and he snapped his fingers in her face. Lindsay burst out laughing as Belinda flushed a deep red.

Even though she could see that Belinda was determined, she could see clearly from Danny's body language that he had just about enough of this woman. She began to calm down, breathing deeply and smiling reassuringly down at Lucy. She knew she had nothing to fear. Danny had made it clear countless times that he only had eyes for her.

But it was hard. Yes, he was a loving husband and father, but he still had a body that made women sit up and take notice. And in Lindsay's opinion, Belinda was noticing a little too much. And apparently Danny agreed, as it was evident that he'd finally had enough and decided to lay on the New York charm for Belinda. She couldn't hear his words, but she could sense that he was being none too gentle with the hints for her to get lost.

Lindsay grinned as she saw Belinda blanche, her jaw hanging open as Danny turned away and continued with his task. Belinda was not someone who was used to being ignored, and she quickly turned on her heel and walked away with her nose in the air. She walked right past Lindsay, not even acknowledging her. Lindsay watched her go, then turned back just in time to see Danny look up. She caught his eye and grinned at him as she walked over to where he had set up camp for them.

"Making friends already, Danny?"

* * *

They had spent the afternoon pleasantly. First they had some lunch and watched as the fairgrounds quickly filled up with returning graduates and their families. There was a miniature golf course set up, as well as pony rides for the kids. Lindsay had said that she wanted to take Lucy to see the ponies, so she and Lucy had wandered off and Danny had been left to pack up their things and take them back to the car. The entire time he was alone, he couldn't help but look over his shoulder every few seconds, ensuring that that horrible Belinda woman wasn't waiting for an opportunity to pounce on him.

Once he had gotten everything back in the car, he headed off in search of his wife. He meandered through the crowds and finally saw them waiting in line for the ponies. Lucy was squirming in Lindsay's arms pointing excitedly at the ponies.

"Mama! Mama! Haw-see!"

"That's right, Lucy," Lindsay praised her little girl. "Those are horseys. What does the horsey say, Lucy?" Lindsay asked.

Lucy looked up at her and Lindsay pressed again. "Come on, baby. What does the horsey say?"

Lucy looked off over Lindsay's shoulder and her eyes lit up. She bounced on Lindsay's hip and clapped her hands. "Dada! Dada! Haw'see p'ease!"

Lindsay felt warm hands slip around her waist and she leaned back into Danny's strong frame as he pressed a loving kiss to her cheek before he rested his chin on her shoulder and smiled at Lucy. "You know, Lucy," he said, "I don't think that I've ever heard a horsey say Dada before. You're a silly girl Lucybear."

Lucy stared at Danny, and Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at the expression on her face. She had absolutely no idea what on earth her daddy was talking about. She gazed adoringly at her father and pointed back at the ponies. "P'ease Dada? Haw-see?"

"Aw, kiddo," Danny sighed into Lindsay's neck. "I just can't resist when you look at me with those big blue eyes. You want to go ride the horsey, sweetie?" Lucy nodded her head and reached out her hand to grab Danny's nose. She giggled when he pretended to try and nibble on her little fingers.

The line moved slowly, but eventually it was Lucy's turn on the ponies. Danny lifted her up and sat her on top of the pony and held on to her as the attendant guided her around the course. Lindsay reached into her pocket, retrieving her cell phone and started taking pictures. She smiled down at the photos on the tiny screen at the smiling faces staring back at her. She quickly selected her favourite and sent it as an email to Mac and her parents.

After the pony ride, they wandered around and mingled with some of the other families. Lucy was getting tired so Danny had gone back to the car to get her stroller while Lindsay and Lucy headed off to get some drinks from the concession stand. As Lindsay was about to move to the head of the line and place her order, the woman in front of her turned around and almost walked right into her. Lindsay looked up to see who it was and she broke out in a smile as she realized that she recognized that face.

"Susie?" she asked in awe. "Susie Hayes?"

The redheaded woman's eyes went wide as recognition dawned on her. "Oh my God! Lindsay Monroe!" she squealed, reaching out and embracing Lindsay warmly. "I can't believe you're here! How are you?"

Lindsay beamed at her friend. Susie had been one of her only allies during the last year of school. They had been lab partners all through high school, and Susie had been one of the few people during her senior year that had been sympathetic to Lindsay. "I'm doing really well. How are you?"

"Oh, I'm great," said Susie. "You know, married, divorced. Two kids. I work as a science teacher in Denver now. I know. Shocking huh? But enough about me. How are you, Lindsay? You look amazing! The last I heard you had moved out east. What are you up to? And who's this little angel?"

Lindsay smiled at her friend. "I'm really good. I moved to New York about five years ago and I work as a detective in forensics for the NYPD. I got married last year and Lucy here is going to be one in a few weeks."

"Oh my gosh, Lindsay!" Susie exclaimed, "Good for you! She's adorable! Did your husband come with you? What does he do? How did you meet? Tell me everything!"

Lindsay motioned to a picnic table near the concession. "Okay, okay. Slow down Susie!" Lindsay laughed at her friend's enthusiasm. "My husband and I met at work. He's in forensics too."

"Wow," said Susie. "So, you and your husband work together? Don't you ever get, I don't know, sick of being around each other all the time?"

Lucy began to fuss on Lindsay's lap, trying to wiggle free from her mother's grasp. "Lucy, no. You stay here with Mommy," she looked back up at Susie. "Sorry. To answer your question, um... No," she said with a smile. "We don't really get sick of one another. I mean, we work in the same department and see each other a lot at work, but we work really hard to be just Danny and Lindsay - coworkers - when we're in the lab and try to keep that completely separate from Danny and Lindsay - husband and wife. Some days are harder than others, but we've managed really well so far."

Lucy was really fussing now and Lindsay could tell by the way her little fists were clenching that she was about ten seconds away from a major meltdown. She stood up and balanced Lucy on her hip, bouncing her lightly and trying to keep her calm. But it was no use. Lucy was tired and it was past her naptime. Lindsay felt her little body go rigid in her arms and a few seconds later the full blown tantrum erupted.

She looked at Susie with an apologetic smile on her face. Susie smiled and nodded her head. "Don't worry Lindsay," she said. "I have two holy terrors at home so I completely understand. Duty calls."

"Oh, Susie. I'm so sorry," she shouted over the increasing volume of Lucy's screams. "I think we wore her out this afternoon. I... I wish I could stay and catch up. Are you going to be at the dinner tonight?"

Susie nodded again. "Go. I'll see you tonight," she said. "And I can't wait to meet your husband. I hope he knows how lucky he is to have you Lindsay. I really do." Susie got up and moved around the table to give Lindsay a one-armed hug as Lucy flailed in her arms. "I've really missed you, you know. We need to stay in touch."

Lindsay nodded enthusiastically. "I've missed you too, Susie. I'll see you tonight."

"Bye!" Susie called as Lindsay turned to walk away, pulling her phone out of her pocket as she tried to keep Lucy from squirming out of her arms. She sent Danny a quick text_. _

Danny was just getting the stroller out of the trunk when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He grabbed it and flipped it open, smiling at the message from Lindsay.

_Having a major meltdown. I'm thinking naptime. We're coming back to the car._

He set the stroller back in the trunk and closed the lid. He leaned on the side of the car and waited. He heard his daughter before he saw her, her screams were deafening even from across the parking lot. He pushed himself off the car and started walking toward the sound of the screams. When they finally came into view his heart melted. Lindsay looked frenzied and was struggling to keep Lucy in her arms as she kicked and screamed. Lucy's little face was beet red and smeared with an appetizing mixture of tears and snot.

"Hey," he said softly as he approached his girls. "What brought this on?" he asked.

"I have no idea," said Lindsay, clearly exasperated. "I was sitting talking with a friend and she started fussing, then that turned into crying, which quickly escalated into screaming."

"Hey, little Lucy," said Danny as he scooped his daughter into his arms. "What's the matter Lucybear? Come on, tell Daddy what's wrong."

Lucy stopped her screaming and looked at Danny with wide, tear-filled eyes. She started to hiccup and leaned forward and wiped her nose on the front of his shirt before she began crying into his shoulder again, her tiny fists grabbing handfuls of the fabric.

"Shhh, shhh," Lindsay soothed as she rubbed Lucy's back, calming her down. Her wild screams had lessened and now she was just sobbing quietly to herself, her face still buried in Danny's chest.

By the time they made it back to the car, Lucy was fast asleep. Lindsay reached into Danny's pocket to retrieve the car keys and pressed the button on the fob to unlock the doors. Danny leaned in the backseat and placed Lucy gently in her car seat. He made sure she was buckled in securely before closing the door.

Lindsay came up and put her arms around his waist, resting her head on his chest, being careful to avoid the snotty patches where Lucy had wiped her nose. She sighed as she felt his arms tighten around her.

"Did you have a good time, honey?" he asked as he rested his cheek against the top of her head.

"I did," she said. "It wasn't nearly as bad as I had imagined. Aside from that Belinda bitch oogling you, the few people that I actually recognized were fairly pleasant. I'm glad I came. And I'm even more glad that you were here with me."

"That's what I'm here for, Linds," he said. She squeezed him a little tighter around his middle and then leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek.

"Love you, Dan," she said.

"Love you back, Linds," he said. "You wanna drive, or you want me to?"

"You drive," she said handing him back the car keys. "I'm kind of tired. You kept me up too late last night."

He raised his eyebrows at her. "Oh, I kept you up too late?" he asked, incredulous. "Seriously? I seem to remember that it was you who wanted to play cowboy meets country girl in the barn in the middle of the night," he winked at her before moving to the driver's side door.

"Shut up and drive, cowboy," she said as she opened the passenger door and got in.

He smirked to himself as he opened his own door and lowered himself into the driver's seat. He looked at his wife and she grinned at him. "What are you smiling about?" he asked.

"I was just thinking that before we go back to New York, we need to get you a cowboy hat to take home with us," she said as she wiggled her eyebrows at him.

"You will be the death of me, woman," he said as he turned the key in the ignition and put the car into gear. Her hand reached out and gently stroked his thigh. He sighed in resignation. "You really want the hat?"

She squeezed his thigh gently and leaned over the centre console to kiss his neck, just below his ear. "And some boots," she whispered.

"Yee haw," he said, smiling to himself as he pulled out of the parking lot.

* * *

**So, there you have it. Part 1 of the reunion. Part 2 will be up in a few days. I would love to hear your thoughts on this chapter. I hope that it was up to your high standards!!! Please review or send me a PM to let me know!**


	7. Reunion Part 2

**A/N: Once again your reviews and comments have made me so happy. Thank you all so much! I love to hear what you think, and it really makes my day to see so many reviews after I update! **

**I was really glad to hear that people unanimously disliked Belinda - **_**excellent **_**(said a la Mr. Burns from The Simpsons).**

**She's kind of modelled after some of the people from my own reunion. And have no fear... she makes another appearance in this chapter! I couldn't resist adding in some more of her - she's just a character that everyone loves to hate!**

**Also, I just want to point out that the green shirt that Danny was wearing in the afternoon was THAT green shirt - you know the one? The tight, super-duper, awesomely, amazingly, drool-worthy green shirt? From Seasons 2 and 3? Yeah. Just had to point that out. I mean, I realize it's only a t-shirt, but **_**damn**_**. Can I just say that if I was in charge of CSI NY (which I'm not - le sigh) then he would only ever wear that shirt...**

**But I digress. You're not here to read about me drooling about a certain detective's amazing body. Or maybe you are. Who am I to judge?**

**Read on - Part 2 of the reunion**

**Disclaimer: Didn't you just read, like a minute ago that I'm not in charge of CSI NY? Jeez.**

* * *

After spending the afternoon at the fairgrounds, they had returned to the Monroe house for some quiet relaxation before they would head out again for the gathering later that evening. Lucy had slept soundly all the way home, and after Danny had pulled the car into the driveway, Lindsay had quickly and quietly gotten Lucy from her car seat, being careful not to wake her, taking her inside and tucking her into the crib for a nap.

She came back downstairs in time to see Danny deposit the last of their things on the floor of the kitchen. She picked up the picnic basket and cooler, emptied them and made sure that they were clean as Danny put away all of Lucy's things. He came back into the kitchen and they looked at one another for a moment as they each felt a wave of exhaustion overtake them. Having a small child meant that they rarely got a full night's sleep, and although Lindsay's parents had let them sleep in that morning, they were both still catching up from months of sleep deficit.

Taking Danny's hand she led him into the living room. He sat down on the couch and pulled Lindsay down beside him. She wrapped her arms around his waist, laying her head on his shoulder. She sighed as she felt his arms around her shoulders and he began rubbing her back softly. "I'm so tired, Dan," she said. "I think I need to lie down for a few minutes otherwise I'm not going to make it through tonight."

"Mmmm," he mumbled into her hair as he felt his own eyelids drooping. "Sounds like a plan," he said. Despite their words, neither moved to get up from the couch. And that is where they were found half an hour later by Dana and John who had returned from running some errands in town.

After helping to unpack their groceries, John turned to Dana. "I'm just going to check the score on the game," he said as he headed out of the kitchen.

Dana turned her attention to the potatoes she was peeling in the sink. She looked up in surprise as her husband came back into the kitchen almost immediately. He had a bemused expression on his face. "What's up, John?" she asked as he appeared to be looking for something.

"What? Oh nothing," he said as he peered into drawers and into cupboards. "Just looking for the camera."

"And since when do we keep the camera in the cutlery drawer, John?" Dana asked with a hint of amusement in her voice.

He looked up at her and grinned. "Well, I figured if I did a bad enough job of looking for it, you'd eventually get fed up and just tell me where it is!"

Dana rolled her eyes. "It's on the shelf in your office," she said. "Why?"

"Why what?" he asked as he turned to check his office.

"John, this is like pulling teeth!" she exclaimed. "Why do you need the camera?"

He looked at his wife and she was surprised to see him blush. "Its the kids," he said. "They're just... it's too sweet. They're all curled up on the couch." He shrugged his shoulders. "I thought I'd take a picture for them and then we could frame it and give it to them to take home."

Dana's heart was bursting at her husband's words. She smiled at him and wiped her hands on her apron before moving toward him. "I think that's a wonderful idea, sweetheart," she said as she kissed his cheek and patted his shoulder. She moved past him into the hallway and peeked into the living room. She smiled as she heard John sneak up behind her and take the lens cover off the camera.

Danny was lying on his side, curled around Lindsay, who lay with her back pressed up against him. Her arms and legs were tangled in with his, his face pressed in against the side of her neck. They were both breathing deeply and Lindsay had a contented smile on her lovely face. John pointed the camera at the two of them and snapped a few pictures. He grinned at his wife as he headed off down the hall to the office to load the pictures onto the computer and print out the best one.

Dana looked at the pair a moment longer before she grabbed a blanket from the back of John's armchair and gently laid it across the sleeping pair on the couch. Then she returned to the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready.

* * *

Lindsay stirred and she felt Danny's warm breath on her neck. She stretched and smiled as she felt his arms tighten around her. She glanced at the clock on the mantle piece and saw that it was almost 5 o'clock. They'd been asleep for just over an hour.

"Hey baby," she whispered. "Come on, it's time to get up or we'll never be ready in time."

"Hmph," Danny grunted as he stretched and then settled, trying to get a few more minutes of time cuddled up to his wife.

Lindsay tried to sit up but was stopped by Danny's hands which grabbed her by her hips and pulled her back down.

"Where do you think you're going?" he mumbled sleepily.

She turned to look at him as he blinked his eyes open. "I'm going to go get a glass of water, then I'm going to have a shower so that I'll be presentable tonight."

"You look beautiful already," he said as he smiled at her. "You don't need to change a thing. Now get back here. I want to cuddle."

Lindsay couldn't repress the laugh that burst out of her mouth. "Oh really? You want to cuddle?" she giggled. "I seem to recall a certain co-worker of ours telling me that you don't cuddle."

He grinned at her. "What can I say? I'm a changed man."

She lightly slapped his hands away from her and stood up. "Well, changed man or not," she said as she turned and extended her hands to him to help him up. "You need to shower too. You've still got Lucy's snot all over your shirt."

Danny grimaced as he looked down at his favourite green shirt. "Crap," he muttered. Then he looked up at Lindsay. "Snot comes out right? It's not gonna leave a stain is it?"

She laughed as she pulled him into a standing position and kissed his nose. "Yes, Danny. It will come out," she said. "And if it doesn't then we'll just have to get you a new shirt."

He sighed as he pulled the shirt over his head and headed up the stairs after her. "You want some company in the shower?" he asked as they reached the top of the stairs. "I'm feeling really... helpful." He wiggled his eyebrows at her. "I could help wash your back." She raised her eyebrows at him. "And your front if you want" he said with a wink.

"Dan, we have somewhere to be tonight," she said as she gathered the things she needed from their suitcase. "So no. I'll just have to suffer and wash my own back."

He pouted at her as she turned to leave. "You never let me have any fun," he said.

She patted his backside as she passed him. "We have all night cowboy," she sing-songed as she walked down the hallway. "Plenty of time for fun."

Danny stared at his wife's retreating back as she entered the door. After she closed it, he began to gather his own things. "Hot damn," he said to himself, smiling.

* * *

Danny had showered after Lindsay and she had taken over the bathroom once again after he was finished. He got changed and grabbed their pile of dirty clothes, along with Lucy's pyjama's and her clothes from the afternoon. He wanted to ask Dana if he could put on a load of laundry before they went out so that it would be ready for them to pack up in the morning.

He headed downstairs and into the kitchen where Dana and John were eating dinner. He saw that Lucy was in her high chair, meticulously covering herself from head to toe in mashed potatoes. She held a piece of carrot in one hand and had a handful of potato in the other. When she saw her daddy enter the kitchen she squealed in delight and waved her hands around, sending chunks of potato flying around the kitchen. Danny held up his hands in an attempt to keep himself clean. Lindsay would kill him if he got anything on the only suit he'd brought with him.

"Whoa, hey there Lucy!" he said. "Simmer down now, sweetpea. It's only Daddy. You don't need to start a food fight!"

Lucy grinned at him. "Dada!" she said. "Nom nom!"

Danny nodded his head at his little girl. "Yes Lucy, I'm sure it is nummy," he said. "But Daddy's going to enjoy it from over here, okay?"

"Dada all done?" Lucy asked pointing to the table, confused as to why her father was not eating dinner with her.

"Yes, sweetie," Danny said. "Daddy's all done."

"T'ay," said Lucy as she turned back to her dinner.

Danny smiled at her, then turned his attention to Dana and John who were eating in a more civilized manner than his daughter. "Sorry," he apologized. "I'll clean up her potatoes before we go."

"Oh, Danny, no!" said Dana as she shook her head. "It's no problem. She's not making that much of a mess. Lindsay was much worse."

"Thanks, mom," Danny said. He held up the bundle of clothes in his hands. "Do you mind if I throw on a load of laundry before we head out?"

"Oh, go ahead dear," said Dana. "Detergent is in the cupboard above the washer."

"Thanks," Danny said as he turned and headed to the laundry room.

As he loaded up the washing machine, he heard Lindsay's footsteps heading down the stairs. He smiled as he heard Lucy's little voice as she called out to her mother. "Mama! Nom nom?"

The rest of the conversation was drowned out by the sound of the washing machine. He closed the door to the laundry room behind him and returned to the kitchen. Pushing open the door, his heart almost stopped at the sight in front of him.

Lindsay was standing in the kitchen talking to her parents and Lucy. Her hair was gently curled into soft ringlets that fell to her shoulders. Her face was glowing with a beautiful rosy hint on her cheeks and she had on red lipstick. Danny thought back. He didn't think that he had ever seen her wear lipstick before. He would have to make it very clear that from now on she was required to wear it 24/7 because he couldn't take his eyes off her lips.

Eventually he was able to pull his eyes away from her lips and his gaze trailed down to her dress. _Wow. What a dress! _It was beautiful and simple, yet sophisticated. Just like his wife. The knee-length garment was a deep purple, and the fabric was soft and flowy. It draped down from her shoulders, hugging her gorgeous curves in all the right places and emphasizing her tiny waist and her breasts that were still swollen after having Lucy. Put simply, it was sexy as hell. Danny had never wanted her more than he wanted her in that exact moment. She was absolutely radiant, and he was so proud to be able to say that she was his wife.

It was a moment before Danny realized that someone was speaking to him. He shook his head and tried to drive away the inappropriate thoughts that were running through his head. Thoughts of running his hands up under the hem of her dress, and nuzzling her breasts through the fabric...

"Sorry, what?" he said. He could feel his face turning beet red as everyone in the room turned to look at him.

John was glowering at him. "I was saying that you clean up nice, son," he said gruffly. "But I take it back, now that I see you oogling my daughter."

Danny had the decency to blush at his father-in-law's words. "Sorry, sir," he said as he came fully into the room. He walked up to Lindsay and saw that she too was blushing. "You look really nice, sweetheart," he said softly to her before pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "More than nice, actually. Beautiful."

Lindsay looked up at him through her lashes and smiled shyly. "You don't look so bad yourself, Messer," she whispered.

As much as Lindsay had appreciated Danny's amorous gaze as he entered the room, her own thoughts were not far off from his. She had seen him in a suit only a handful of times and she was seriously thinking about talking to Mac about changing the dress code at the lab. Not that she didn't love him in his jeans, but _damn_. He was wearing a tailored grey suit that fit his muscular body perfectly. And with it he was wearing a light blue shirt and matching tie which made the blue of his eyes stand out even more than usual. Taking in his full appearance as he turned around and she couldn't help but notice the way the trousers fit his tight ass perfectly. She had to struggle to keep her thoughts away from pulling him to her and squeezing his firm backside as his hands roamed over her own body....

"Sorry, mom. What was that?" Lindsay realized that her mother had said something and she'd missed it while her mind was off playing in the gutter.

Dana looked between the pair in front of her and smiled knowingly. Lindsay had the uncomfortable sensation that her mother knew exactly what she had been thinking. "I was just saying that you'd better get going. You're already going to be fashionably late as it is."

Nodding her head Lindsay looked from her mother and back to Danny. "You ready?" he whispered in her ear.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she replied.

She leaned down and kissed her mother on the cheek before doing the same to her father. "Bye guys," she said. "Lucy, you be nice to Grandma and Grandpa, okay?"

Lucy looked up from where she had spread her mashed potatoes across the tray of her high chair. "T'ay. Bye-bye mama."

Lindsay smiled as her daughter's attention was drawn back to the task in hand. Danny held out her jacket for her and she slipped her arms inside and buttoned it up before picking up her handbag from the counter.

"Thanks again for watching Lucy," Danny said as he took Lindsay's hand in his own. "You be good, okay squirt?" he said to Lucy.

Without looking up from her mashed potato masterpiece Lucy grunted her acknowledgement of her father's words.

Hand in had, the pair gave one last smile at the three people in the kitchen before turning and walking out the door.

* * *

Lindsay waited in line to sign in at the reunion. Apparently everyone was getting a little _Hello, My Name Is..._ nametag so that it would be easier to recognize one another. Danny had gone off to check their coats, so she was waiting alone. As she waited, a smile spread across her face as she thought about their ride over.

When she and Danny had left her parent's house, he had opened her car door for her and made sure she was settled before walking around the car and hopping in the driver's seat. The entire drive over his hand had rested on her leg, just above her knee. With his thumb he had traced little circles that caused goose bumps to form on her skin. She had reached over the centre console and run her fingers through his hair before her hand came to rest at the back of his neck where she played with the little hairs she found there.

As they approached the hotel, he had peeked at her out of the corner of his eye and caught her staring at him. He had smiled at her and squeezed her leg gently. "You look really beautiful, Linds," he'd said. "I just know that you're going to knock 'em dead tonight, honey."

She had blushed at his compliment, thankful that the dark evening sky had prevented him from seeing the affect his words had on her. "Thank you. I'm actually looking forward to it now, even if only for seeing Susie and a few other people. The rest of them I really couldn't care less about."

"Good," was Danny's reply. His hand left her leg as he signalled and turned into the hotel parking lot. As he pulled into a parking spot, she'd leaned over the console and kissed his cheek.

"You're so amazing, you know that don't you?" she asked. "I love you so much. Thank you for coming with me."

"No place I'd rather be, babe," he'd said as he had gently caressed her cheek before undoing his seatbelt and getting out of the car. He made his way over to her door and held it open for her, offering her his hand to help her up, pulling her into a hug as she stood. "I really mean that, Linds," he'd said. "I'll always be there for you, you know that, right? You need me and I'm there."

She pulled back and looked at him. "I do know that, Danny. And I love you for it." Smiling at one another, they'd joined hands and walked through the hotel doors.

She brought her mind back to the present as she realized that she'd reached the front of the line.

"Name?" said the woman sitting in front of her. She wore a nametag that read Darcie Brooks. The name was familiar to Lindsay as Darcie had shared several classes with her during senior year.

"Lindsay Mess... er, Monroe," she said.

Darcie's head snapped up. "Oh my gosh! Lindsay?" she said. "Wow, I honestly didn't expect to see you here, but I'm so glad that you decided to come. Are you here with anyone?"

Lindsay gave Danny's name to Darcie and she wrote out a nametag for each of them. One said _Danny Messer _and the other _Lindsay (Monroe) Messer_.

She smiled at Darcie after affixing the sticker to her dress. She looked around and there was still no sign of Danny. "Thanks Darcie," she said as she turned to leave the table.

"Lindsay?" Darcie said as Lindsay retreated.

"Yes?"

"I'm really glad you're here," she said smiling warmly. "I... I know it wasn't easy for you that last year, but you've proved a lot of people wrong by showing up here."

Lindsay smiled shyly at the woman in front of her. "Thank you, Darcie. That means a lot."

Darcie nodded her head and sat back down at the table to greet the next returning graduate. "Have fun tonight!" she called out as Lindsay walked away.

Holding Danny's nametag in her hand, Lindsay took one last look around the lobby and decided that Danny must have made his way into the conference room already. She pushed open the door and looked inside.

The room was dimly lit and there were silver and green metallic streamers decorating the walls. There were several tables set up on one side of the room, along with a heavily laden buffet table and a bar in the far corner. On the other side of the room, a dance floor had been arranged. Music that Lindsay recognized from her high school days was playing softly over the PA system in the room.

She scanned her eyes over the room trying to catch a glimpse of Danny, but she couldn't see him anywhere. Her heart sank briefly. Where was he? He said that he would be here for her. She quickly shook the negative thoughts from her head as she realized that he was probably in the washroom or getting them drinks from the bar. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room as the door closed behind her.

* * *

Danny had gone to check his and Lindsay's coats and then had decided to visit the men's room before heading into the party. After he was finished using the facilities, he washed his hands and went back out to the lobby. He didn't see Lindsay standing in line anymore, so he assumed that she had gone on into the party ahead of him. He pushed open the door and took in the decorations and the crowd of people milling around the room. He wanted to find his wife, but the lights were dim and he couldn't make her out in the crowd.

He sighed and decided that the best thing would be to go and get their drinks and hopefully Lindsay would find him. He stepped around smaller groups of people who were talking and catching up until he reached the bar. He ordered a beer for himself and a glass of white wine for Lindsay. While he was waiting for their drinks, he turned and leaned against the bar and came face to face with someone he had hoped desperately to avoid.

"Hello, stranger," purred Belinda. She was standing with three other women who were all eyeing him hungrily. Belinda turned to the women and said in a loud whisper, "He's the one I was telling you about. From this afternoon. Says he's here with his wife, but..." she turned back to Danny, "We have yet to meet this mystery woman who has apparently scooped you up off the market."

Danny grimaced as Belinda made her way over to him. He could smell her perfume and he wondered whether she had poured the entire bottle over her head, or if she'd saved herself the time and just bathed in the stuff. It was making his eyes water. As she prowled around him, the other women gazed at him appreciatively.

"You're right Bels," said one woman with her hair teased up high in a halo of brown frizzy curls and her body squished into a dress that was at least two sizes to small. "He is pretty hot." As the words left her mouth she licked her lips and winked at Danny.

"Um, wow," he said, "I'm really flattered ladies, but seriously. Not interested. I'm here with my wife, and as much as I'm sure I'd enjoy your... _company_," Danny cringed at the thought of laying even one finger on any of these women, "I'm really very happily married. So, if you'll excuse me..."

Belinda moved to stand in Danny's path, stopping him in his tracks. "You know, I think that we could have a lot of fun," she said. "Your wife never has to know."

She had moved directly in front of Danny and he got his first really good look at what she was wearing. She was dressed in a trashy, skin-tight, red sequined dress that squeezed her so that her boobs were practically spilling out of the top. Her bleached blond hair hung limply down her back and even the soft light of the room could not hide the off-putting orange tint to her skin. He could smell her breath as she pressed herself up against him. It smelt like stale cigarettes and mint chewing gum and he had to fight the urge to gag as the overpowering combination of her perfume and her bad breath wafted over him.

Putting his hands on her shoulders he pushed her away. "You know," he said not bothering to hide the impatience and annoyance in his voice, "I have tried to be subtle and I have tried to be polite. But I've really had enough now. I don't really know how to say it any other way than this: I'm not interested. You couldn't pay me to sleep with you. You're just not my type."

Belinda took a sharp intake of breath at his words and narrowed her eyes at him. "Excuse me? Just who do you think you are? You can't talk to me like that! Do you even know who I am?"

"No I don't," said Danny as he turned to the bartender to accept his drinks, trying his best to keep calm. "And frankly, I don't give a rat's ass."

Belinda's jaw dropped. She was not someone who was used to being told no. She looked around as she noticed that people waiting in line for the bar had started to take notice of their conversation.

"Well, let me tell you mister," she hissed at him, "I am not someone that you just brush off. I get what I want. _Always_."

Danny shrugged his shoulders as he tried to edge his way past her. "Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you then, but there's a first time for everything."

He looked up and saw Lindsay standing at the front of the crowd that had formed with a huge smile plastered across her face. He walked up to her and kissed her cheek before handing her the glass of wine he had ordered for her. "I thought I told you never to leave me alone with that woman," he said to her. She reached up and stuck his nametag on the lapel of his jacket and smiled over his shoulder to where Belinda and her gaggle of friends were standing.

She could see Belinda was straining to look around Danny to see who he was with. She handed her wine glass back to Danny. "Just hang on a sec, okay babe?" she said as she walked toward the group of women.

She walked up to Belinda and smiled, extending her hand for Belinda to shake.

"Hi Belinda," she said. "Hi Jackie, Erin, Megan," she said as she nodded to Belinda's sidekicks. "I'm sure you don't remember me, but my name is Lindsay Messer." Seeing their blank stares, she continued. "No? Don't remember me? Well, that's my married name. Back in high school I was Lindsay Monroe." She saw recognition dawn on Belinda's face.

"Yeah, I thought that name might jog your memory," she said as she continued to smile pleasantly at the woman. "So, I don't want to waste too much of your time here, but I'd appreciate it if you kept your hands off my husband. He's not interested."

Lindsay held up her hand to silence Belinda as she tried to protest. "No, I saw you this afternoon and I heard you just now. And enough is enough. I'm sure there are plenty of other men here tonight who would be more than interested in your..._services_. However, I happen to know that my husband has all the woman that he needs, and the only person that will be getting into his pants tonight will be me."

Lindsay nodded at Belinda and the trio of her friends. "Okay then. Have a nice evening ladies," she said before turning on her heel and walking back to where Danny was standing with a broad smile on his face. He handed her wine glass out to her.

"That was quite possibly the hottest thing I have ever seen," he whispered to her as he draped one arm around her shoulders. "So we can go now, right? I thought I heard you say something about getting into my pants?"

Turning and smiling at Belinda over her shoulder, Lindsay slid her hand down Danny's back and let it come to rest on his ass. As they walked away she winked at Belinda, then turned her attention back to Danny. "You're insatiable!" she chided him. "And yes, for the record, I am _very _interested in the contents of your pants, Mr. Messer. But you'll have to hold your horses because I still have some people that I actually want to see."

* * *

**So? What did we think? Were we happy to see Belinda get her ass handed to her by Lindsay? Do we want to see the rest of the reunion?**

**So I was going to do only two parts to the reunion, but I think this is a good place to stop for now. I will be updating again very, _very_ soon with PART 3 of the reunion which includes some more Susie (yay!) and a very frisky Lindsay and Danny (YAY!)**

**Are we wondering if that means that there will be smut in the next chapter? Well, I'll jeez. I don't know... Who am I kidding? Of course there will be ;)**

**Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I love hearing from you!**


	8. Reunion Part 3

**A/N: I am so glad that you guys loved the Belinda smack down! Go Lindsay! Some of your reviews had me rolling on the floor laughing. It seems that I was right - everyone does know a Belinda! Good thing we have Lindsay to deal with them for us if we don't have the guts to do it ourselves!! You all really made my day!**

**Oh, and I'm pleased to see that I'm not the only one who knows what green shirt I was referring to!!! **

**I promise that there will be more scenes with John, Dana, and Lucy coming up in later chapters. But for now, we've got a reunion to get back to.**

**Disclaimer: I'm not even going to say it. If you're at Chapter 8 and you don't already know that they don't belong to me then there's nothing that I can say here that will make you change your mind. **

* * *

Lindsay and Susie were sitting in a corner table while they waited for the buffet to be laid out and dinner to begin. Danny had ventured off on his own once Lindsay had spotted Susie across the room to give them a chance to catch up.

"I'll be fine," he had whispered to her. "And if I get in any trouble I'll just tell whoever it is that they better leave me alone or my wife will beat them up!" He smiled at her and kissed her forehead before wandering off toward a group of guys who were having a lively discussion about the baseball.

"Oh my God!" squealed Susie in delight as Lindsay told her about her confrontation with Belinda. "I can't believe you told her off like that! Oh, I so would have paid to see that!"

"I don't know what came over me!" Lindsay admitted. "I would normally never do something like that. But I just saw the way that she was eyeing Danny up, and I... I just saw red and I lost it."

"Well, she had it coming," said Susie. "She's been a bully and a spoiled brat her whole life. I'm so glad that someone finally put her in her place. I only wish I could have seen her face when she realized whose husband she was hitting on!" She reached over and patted Lindsay's hand. "Good for you, honey!"

Lindsay blushed at her friend's comment. "Well, let's hope that she thinks twice before going after a married man next time," she said. "And if she comes anywhere near Danny again, I'll have to remind her that I know how to hide bodies!"

Both women erupted into giggles at the thought. Once they had calmed down, Susie became serious. "So, Lindsay," she started, "How have you been all these years? I heard that you had to come back here a few years ago to... to testify. That can't have been easy. Are you alright now?"

Lindsay nodded her head. "Yeah, Susie," she said. "I really am fine. I've got a group of friends at home in New York who are so supportive. They're really like a second family to me. And then I've got Lucy and Danny... and he's, well he's one-in-a-million. He came out here for me, you know? Back when I was testifying?"

Susie raised her eyebrows. "Really? Well, that's what a good boyfriend does, you know."

Lindsay shook her head, realizing that Susie didn't know her and Danny's history. "No, Susie, you don't understand," she said. She looked down at her wedding ring and smiled. "We weren't even together yet. He'd... he'd asked me out, but I had turned him down. I think I actually broke his heart. It was truly awful. I'm just so thankful now that he is so damn stubborn and he waited for me." Lindsay looked up at her friend whose eyes were wide with astonishment.

"And then when I had to come out here and testify, I just couldn't tell him. So I pushed him away even more. I didn't even say goodbye, Susie. I just left him a stupid card. But when I needed him the most, he was there."

Lindsay was thoughtful for a moment before continuing. "Now, Danny never told me this, but I talked to our boss, Stella, when I got home from the trial. She said that Danny had asked about me almost every day. And when Stella had told him one day that I wasn't doing very well, he got really upset. He'd been working for almost 48 straight hours without a break and was exhausted, practically asleep on his feet. And when he finally got some time off, he didn't go home. He flew out to Montana to be with me. To support me," she sighed and felt a lump rising in her throat as she was getting emotional at the memory.

"Wow," said Susie. "Wow. I just... wow. I didn't even know that guys like that existed!" Susie shook her head in wonder. "Would you mind if I had him cloned? You could probably do it for me in your lab, right? I'd pay you, under the table, of course!"

Lindsay laughed at the idea. "I think one Danny Messer is plenty, thank you very much. And I thought I'd made it clear that I'm not big on sharing him," she scolded her friend with a smile on her face.

"Okay, okay," Susie lifted her hands in surrender. "No cloning. I understand. So," she continued, "When do I get to meet this super-stud who's so amazing and charming that you refuse to share with an old friend?"

Lindsay smiled as she turned to glance around the room. He was talking animatedly with a group of guys and didn't see her. "There," she said as she pointed him out to Susie, "That's him there, in the blue shirt."

"Damn," said Susie. She looked at her friend in shock. "I thought you said he was a scientist."

"Yeah, he is."

"Doesn't look like any scientist I've ever seen," said Susie, nudging Lindsay playfully with her elbow.

"Yeah, well," said Lindsay as she smiled proudly at her husband, "He's also a detective. And he was going to be a pro baseball player at one time."

"Really?" Susie asked in surprise. "Does he still have the uniform? Because if he does, get him to wear it for you some night. Because, let me tell you honey," said Susie, "those uniforms are pretty damn sexy if the guy has got the right body for it." She paused and peeked over at Danny once more. "And I'm pretty sure he's got the body for it!"

"Susie!" Lindsay blushed bright pink at her friend's comment.

"What?" asked Susie. "It was only a suggestion!"

"You're terrible!" Lindsay said as she and Susie burst into laughter once again.

"Okay, what'd I miss?" said a familiar Staten Island voice.

Lindsay looked up to see Danny sauntering over to them. "Hey sweetie," he said kissing Lindsay affectionately on the cheek as he sat down beside her.

"Hi honey," she said. "I want you to meet someone. Susie, this is my husband, Danny Messer. Danny, this is my good friend Susie Hayes. She and I go back all the way to Grade 9 science."

"Hey Susie," said Danny as he extended his hand to her, "It's really nice to meet you. Linds was talking about you this afternoon, and I was hoping to get a chance to say hi."

Taking his hand in hers, Susie smiled warmly at Danny. "Likewise, Danny," she said as they shook hands. "She's been talking about you non-stop since we sat down, and I kind of wanted to see what all the fuss was about."

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Oh really? Is that why my ears were burning?"

"Oh Susie, please don't start," said Lindsay, "We don't want to make his ego any bigger than it already is."

Susie smiled conspiratorially at her friend, then winked at Danny. "Definitely not."

* * *

When the buffet had finally opened Danny, Lindsay and Susie had wandered off to fill their plates. Danny was pleased to see so many people smiling and greeting Lindsay. He could see her confidence growing each time she recognized a face, and nearly everyone had kind words to say to her, telling her they were glad that she had decided to come. In his line of work, Danny had become fairly adept at determining when someone was bullshitting him, and for the most part, these people seemed genuinely, sincerely happy to see Lindsay.

They had returned to their table joined by a few other friendly faces and enjoyed their meal. Lindsay was in her element, telling stories about New York City and her time there and she even had pictures on her phone of Lucy for everyone to ooh and aah over. Danny smiled at his wife and draped his arm over the back of her chair, gently caressing her shoulder as she caught up with her friends.

Soon, the dinner plates were cleared away and the music was turned up. Couples started making their way out onto the dance floor. One of the guys at the table, Chris was his name, leaned over and asked Lindsay to dance. "If it's okay with you, Danny," he added quickly.

Danny hesitated for a moment. He really wasn't a huge fan of some other guy's hands on his wife, no matter how innocent. But he looked at Lindsay and he couldn't say no to the smile she was giving him. "Yeah, sure man," he said. "Just make sure I get her back in one piece, alright?"

Chris smiled and nodded before extending his hand out for Lindsay to take. She leaned over and kissed Danny on the cheek before she got up and followed Chris onto the dance floor. He sat and watched for a moment, wanting to make sure that Chris's intentions were honourable.

"Danny?" He looked up as someone said his name. Susie was looking at him from across the table with a sympathetic smile on her face. "Don't worry, Danny. She's just saving the best for last."

He smiled sheepishly at her. "Am I that transparent?" he asked.

"Yup," she said as she nodded her head. "Big time. So how about it? You feel up to a dance with me?"

Danny smiled at her. "Sure. Why not?" They both got up and made their way onto the dance floor. She placed her hands on his shoulders and he kept his hands on her waist as they moved in time to the music.

"She thinks the world of you, you know?" Susie said to him, leaning in so he could hear her over the music.

"Yeah? Well the feeling is 100 percent mutual," he said as he smiled at her.

"I can tell," she said. "And thank you, Danny."

"Hmm? For what?"

"For looking after her," Susie said, nodding her head toward Lindsay. "After graduation, we lost touch, and I always regretted that. I worried about her. After what happened to her, I just... I really hoped that she'd find happiness one day. Because she really deserves it. And when I saw her this afternoon, I could tell just by looking at her that she is truly happy. She practically glows."

Danny looked over to where Lindsay and Chris were dancing, he was twirling her around and she was laughing. She caught his eye and grinned at him. Love you, she mouthed at him.

"She does glow, doesn't she?" he said, more to himself than to Susie.

"She sure does," she agreed. "Especially when she talks about you and your little girl. Can you do me a favour, Danny?" she asked.

"Um, sure," said Danny hesitantly. "What?"

"Just be good to her," she said seriously. "Keep doing whatever it is you're doing now. Just love her and be there for her."

"I intend to, Susie," he said. "I intend to."

"Good," she said. "Then I won't have to kill you and get Lindsay to help me hide your body!"

They laughed together as the song came to an end. "I think you're wanted over there," said Susie, pointing to where Lindsay was standing alone at the side of the dance floor. "Go get her, Tiger," she said as she released her hands from Danny's shoulders and pushed him towards his wife.

* * *

It felt so good to hold him in her arms. It just felt so right, and they fit together so perfectly. She tightened her arms around her neck, pulling herself closer against his chest. Her cheek rested on the shoulder of his jacket. She sighed he held her in his arms, his hands gently touching the bare skin of her back.

"I love you, Linds," he whispered in her ear as they swayed to the music.

"Love you too, Dan." She ran her fingers through the short hairs at the nape of his neck and giggled when she felt him shiver at her touch. His hand slid a little lower on her back, resting on the swell of her backside. She placed a soft kiss to his neck before pulling away slightly and looking up at him. She got lost for a moment looking into his blue eyes, seeing the pure desire that was emanating from them.

She leaned in and kissed his lips softly, pulling away before he had a chance to deepen it. "You wanna get out of here, cowboy?" she asked.

"You read my mind, Montana," he replied. He pulled her closer for a moment before sliding his hands up her back and then down her shoulders, taking her hands in his and placing a gentle kiss to the back of each one.

Hand in hand they walked over to where Susie was now dancing with Chris. "Hey guys," said Lindsay, tapping Susie on the shoulder to get her attention. "We're going to take off now and we wanted to say goodbye before we went."

"Oh, honey," said Susie, embracing Lindsay warmly. "I'm so glad I got to see you. I've really missed you! You have my number and my email address, right?"

"I sure do, Susie," Lindsay said as she nodded her head. "And you've got mine."

"Right. So, let's not wait 15 more years before we see each other again!"

"I promise," said Lindsay as she pulled Susie in for one more hug. Releasing her, she turned to Chris to say goodbye and to thank him for the dance. Susie walked up to Danny and held out her hand to him. He took it and pulled her in and hugged her.

"Thanks for being a good friend to Lindsay," he said before releasing her. "It means a lot to her, and to me."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Danny," Susie replied. "Don't be a stranger, okay? You guys ever do any crime-stopping in Denver, you be sure to look me up."

"We will," he said. "Bye Susie." Danny turned back to Lindsay and nodded at Chris as he put his arm around her waist. "Nice to meet you Chris," he said.

"You too, Danny," he said, shaking Danny's hand. "Have a safe trip home!"

"We will. Bye guys!" Lindsay said as she and Danny turned and made their way out of the conference room and into the lobby where they retrieved their coats.

* * *

Once Danny had pulled the car out of the parking lot, Lindsay had told him to turn right.

"But, Linds," he said, "Your parent's house is that way."

"Yeah, but we're not going to my parent's house just yet," she said mischievously.

"Oh yeah?" he said. "You care to enlighten me?"

"Nope," she said as she reached out and placed her hand on his thigh. "Just drive, cowboy."

"Yeah, okay," he said as he turned his attention back to the road. "Just make sure that you don't do anything to distract me. I don't want to have an accident and have to explain that I was not paying attention because my wife was feeling me up on the highway."

Lindsay grinned at him and squeezed his leg. "Oh, don't worry," she said. "We're not going anywhere near the highway."

* * *

"Wow, Linds. This is amazing!" Danny said as he stopped the car and turned off the ignition. They were parked on the hills overlooking Bozeman, the lights of the city below twinkling up at them, mirroring the stars that were shining down on them. "What is this place?"

"I used to come here with my dad when I was little. We'd sit on that big rock up there and go stargazing," she said. "My mom used to get so mad because he'd drag me out of bed in the middle of the night, sometimes even on school nights, to look at the stars. I love it up here."

"Yeah, I can see why. It's beautiful," he said.

"And it's secluded," she whispered as she leaned over the centre console and kissing his neck. "No one ever comes up here at night. So we're totally alone."

"Oh really?" Danny said. He felt the hand that was still resting on his leg start to move slowly upwards.

"Mmm hmm."

"Lindsay Messer," he said as he felt her hand skim over the growing bulge in his pants, "If I didn't know any better I'd think that you were trying to seduce me."

"Is it working?" Lindsay asked as she nipped on his ear.

Danny groaned as she pressed her hand more firmly into his crotch. "Oh, God, yes!"

He turned in his seat and grabbed her head with his hands and pulled her to him in a searing kiss. He felt her tongue pressing against his lips and he opened his mouth, letting her in to explore his mouth. He let out a moan of longing as her fingers found his belt. She moved her free hand down to help her undo the buckle. Then she moved on to undo his button and fly before slipping her hand inside his pants and massaging him through the fabric of his boxers.

"Oh, God, Linds," he panted as he pulled back from their kiss. "I've wanted to touch you all night long."

"What's stopping you, cowboy?" she purred as her fingers caressed his balls.

He let out a low moan and fumbled to undo first his seat belt, then hers. When they were both free, he reached down to the mechanism to slide the seat back as far as possible, then he grabbed her by her hips and pulled her sideways onto his lap.

"Nothing's stopping me now," he said as he hungrily attacked her neck with burning kisses.

Lindsay's hand, which had been pulled from the front of his pants during their change in positions now found its way to the front of his shirt. She fisted the fabric in her hands as one of Danny's hands skimmed up her legs while the other clutched at her hair, holding her to him as he sucked and nipped at her neck.

She sighed as the hand that was on her leg trailed upward until it disappeared under the fabric of her dress. She shivered as she felt his fingers graze the sensitive skin of her inner thigh. She knew that in a moment he would discover how much she wanted him. As his fingers grazed over the moist fabric of her panties she let out a moan of satisfaction.

"Oh, baby," he breathed into her neck, "You're so wet." He moved his kisses down to the hollow at the base of her throat and placed soft open-mouthed kisses there while his hand explored the area between her thighs.

She gasped as he quickly pushed the fabric aside so that he could touch her sensitive area with his bare fingers. She could feel his erection pressed into her hip. She quickly undid his tie pulled it out from around his neck before throwing it into the backseat. Then she made quick work of undoing the tiny buttons on the front of his shirt. She only had the patience to undo a few before she dropped her hands down to the hem of the shirt and began tugging at it, indicating that she wanted him to take it off.

He got the hint and he shrugged out of the jacket before he raised his arms and let her pull his shirt over his head, leaving his toned upper body completely exposed for her.

"You're not wearing your wife beater?" she asked as she ran her fingers over his chest, placing soft kisses to his Pecs.

"Thought I'd save you some time undressing me," he said and she could tell from his voice that he was smirking.

"Mmm," she said as she moved down his chest and took one of his nipples in his mouth, swirling her tongue around it. She felt the tension in her core increase as he let out a low moan. "That was very thoughtful of you babe," she whispered before moving to his other nipple and repeating her actions.

"Linds," he breathed. "Please, I need you like, right now."

He felt her adjust herself. She was moving from sitting sideways across his lap and was now straddling him. She looked down at him and brought her hands up to stroke his face.

"I want you too, Danny."

That was all the encouragement he needed. He brought his hands down to her legs and ran them both up under the fabric of her dress, pushing it up so that it was gathered around her hips. Then he reached down to release his throbbing erection from his boxers before pushing the now soaking fabric of her panties aside.

She braced herself on his shoulders as she felt him place his tip against her clit before running it back until it came to her entrance. Not wanting to wait anymore she plunged herself down on him.

"Oh, God, Danny!" she shouted as he filled her completely.

"Shit, Linds," he chuckled before placing a kiss to her lips. "A little impatient, are we?"

"Shut up and fuck me," she breathed before she slammed her lips down onto his and began so slowly lift her hips until he was almost free of her. Then she sunk down onto him once more. He met her with a thrust of his hips and together they began a slow and steady rhythm which quickly increased in pace as they brought themselves closer to their release.

"Linds," he panted as he pulled away from her lips and leaned forward to suck on the area where her shoulder and neck met, "Fuck, Linds,"

"Oh, my God, Danny," she panted as she felt herself getting closer. His hands were clutched around her hips as he guided down onto his cock over and over again.

"Baby, are you close?" he said as he continued to thrust up into her as she rocked on top of him.

"Yes, yes, yes!" she cried as she felt the familiar tingling that signalled that she was almost there. Almost. "Talk dirty to me, baby," she demanded.

Danny almost lost it right there. His wife wanted dirty talk? He must have been a very good boy in another life.

He moved his hands and squeezed her ass. "Baby, I love to fuck you," he whispered to her. "I love it when I touch you and I can feel how wet you are for me. I love to hear you moan. You make me so fucking hard, Linds. And, oh God, you're so fucking tight, baby. Now, I want you to come for me and I want to hear you scream my name while I fuck you."

Lindsay's insides snapped as her husband's words reached her ears. She loved it when he talked to her like that, told her what he wanted. She loved it when he told her how it felt to be with her, because she knew he meant every word of it.

"Fuck! Danny! Oh, my God, Danny! Danny!" she screamed as she finally reached her climax. She panted as she felt the tension that had built up inside of her streaming through her body, causing her toes to curl and her back to arch into him.

Upon hearing his wife come undone in his arms, Danny could no longer contain himself and he spilled inside of her, calling her name as he did so. "Lindsay! Oh, fuck, Montana!"

Lindsay leaned down and rested her forehead against his, both panting as they tried to recapture their breath after their excursion. He gently ran his fingers up and down her back as he felt her body relax on top of him.

"Mmmm," she breathed. "That was amazing."

"You're telling me?" he asked. "Baby, you're amazing."

She smiled down at him and kissed the tip of his nose before sitting up straighter and pulling herself off of him. She moved back to the passenger seat as he adjusted himself and refastened his pants. She reached in the back seat and handed him his previously discarded shirt, which he slipped back over his head, not bothering to re-do the topmost buttons that Lindsay had opened earlier.

He turned to her and grinned. "So what now, Linds?"

She smiled innocently at him before leaning over and placing a chaste kiss on his cheek. "I've got a few more stops I want to make before we head home. If you're up to it, that is."

She winked at him before refastening her seat belt. She smiled to herself as she heard Danny fasten his own seat belt and then turn the key in the ignition.

* * *

**Oh my gosh. How much do we love smut? So much! Do we want to know what other plans Lindsay has for them? Of course we do! Do her plans involve more smut? Does a bear crap in the woods? Of course they do!!**

**Just a quick note: I am being very lazy and have no real desire to do any sort of research because this purely a work of fiction. Although the Gallatin County Fairgrounds and the Holiday Inn Bozeman are both real locations, I have no idea if there actually are any mountains overlooking the city. So please, just allow me some creative licence here. After all, who cares about the scenery when there's smut to read? **

**I would love to know what you guys thought of the end of the reunion. Did you like Susie? And, of course, I want to know whether the smut was, well, smutty enough! Do you want more smut, or maybe some fluff? Or maybe both! Let me know!!!**

****On a more serious note, when I was writing the part where Danny talks dirty to Lindsay I kind of wanted to use a certain P-word (think ****cats****), but I didn't because I didn't want to offend anyone. Could you please let me know the general consensus so I know whether or not to use that word in future chapters and stories? Thanks!****


	9. Memories

**A/N: You guys are so awesome. You really, really are. I so enjoy reading your reviews. Some of them have me rolling around laughing, and every single one makes me grin like an idiot when I read them! **

**I am going to apologize ahead of time if this chapter seems a bit, shall we say, disjointed? I was having a very up and down day. Some personal stuff going on that is stressing me out just a bit, and I hope it doesn't affect the overall quality of the story.**

**Oh, and if you are a crier, this chapter may come with a tissue warning. I'm just saying. I cried when I wrote it, but that could just be the stress talking! Anyways, I'll stop freaking you out and let you (hopefully) enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: *turns nose up in the air and huffs* They should be mine. But they aren't. Hmph.**

* * *

As they drove together through the darkened and empty streets of Bozeman, Lindsay pointed out local landmarks to him. Danny chuckled and told her that she was the most unconventional tour guide he'd ever met, as most people preferred to be shown around during the day when they could actually see what they were looking at.

Lindsay glared at him in mock annoyance. "Fine, you don't like my tour?" she huffed at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Then we can just go back to my parent's house and forget the other stuff that I wanted to show you."

"Aw, Montana," Danny said, "Don't be like that! I was only kidding. Besides, if there are other stops on your tour that are anything like our first stop at the lookout…" He trailed off as he caught her grinning at him mischievously from the passenger seat. "What?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing," she replied. "I'm just thinking that if you liked the lookout, then you're going to love where I want to go next."

Danny raised his eyebrows and stole a quick glance at his wife who was looking up at him through her eyelashes and playing with the hem of her dress. He felt his pants begin to tighten once again and hoped like hell that they got wherever it was that they were going soon, because he didn't think he was going to be able to last.

Danny continued to follow Lindsay's directions, meandering through Bozeman, until Lindsay yelled, "Stop, Danny! Stop here!" He slammed on the breaks and was about to ask her why the hell she had felt the need to startle him like that, but before he could get a word out, her door was open and she was off. He watched her run gracefully over the grassy field and suppressed a laugh as he saw where she was heading. As Danny put the car in park and turned off the ignition, he smiled as his wife flung herself onto the nearer of a set of two swings and began pumping her legs furiously, pushing the swing higher and higher.

Danny locked the car behind him and walked over to the swing set, sitting in the seat beside Lindsay who was swinging wildly and laughing. Danny hung onto the chain and gently swayed back and forth, enjoying the sound of Lindsay's tinkling laugh as she felt the wind rushing through her hair and over her body.

Lindsay closed her eyes and leaned back on the swing, letting gravity slow her down before dragging her toes in the sand and coming to a complete stop. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes, turning to look at Danny who had sat down beside her.

"Sorry," she grinned at him. "I haven't been to this park for years and when I saw it, I just had go on the swings. My friends and I used to come here when we were growing up, and we'd always have a competition to see who could go the highest. Jenna used to always win…"

Danny could feel himself getting choked up at the sadness that passed over Lindsay's face as she remembered her friends. He had expected this to happen at some point during their time in Montana, and he had prepared himself for this – that at some point, she would have to grieve once more. Especially after being surrounded by people and places that had been a part of her childhood, he thought that the feelings might catch up to her.

"Linds? Honey?" he asked quietly as he used his thumb to gently wipe away the lone tear that had fallen. "You okay?"

She looked up at him and smiled wanly before her face crumpled and she broke down sobbing. Danny reached over and scooped her up in his arms before settling himself back down on the swing. He wrapped his arms around the chains hanging from the supportive metal bars, then around his wife as she clung to him, sobbing into his shirt.

"Oh, baby," he whispered into her hair, "I'm so sorry, Linds. I wish there was something that I could do to make it all better." He gently rubbed her back and rested his cheek on the top of her head, listening as her sobs eventually quieted down into soft whimpers. She sniffed and cuddled closer to Danny, wrapping her arms around his waist.

"I'm okay, Dan," she said eventually as she sniffled, "Really. It just, it overwhelmed me there for a minute. Everything from today, from this whole trip just suddenly hit me. All the memories… And I just needed to let it out."

"You wanna talk about it?" he asked as he kissed the top of her head. She leaned back and looked up at him, her eyes still swimming with unshed tears which she quickly brushed away with the back of her hand. She shook her head and sniffled before answering him.

"No, not right now," she said. She noticed that he had raised his eyebrows at her. He was looking at her seriously, but she could see the worry in his eyes. Worry that she would shut him out. Knowing what he was thinking, she quickly continued. "I will talk about it, honey. _We_ will talk about it. Just not right now." She leaned up and rubbed her nose against his. "Please don't worry, Danny. I just… I needed to get it out of my system… just have a little cry in memory of my friends."

She saw his face soften, but the worry didn't leave his eyes as he stared at her. "Are you sure, Linds?" he asked, using one hand to tuck an unruly curl behind her ear. "I don't want you to feel like you're spoiling the evening for me by talking about this, or anything. Because all I want is for you to be happy."

She stroked his face, touched by his concern for her. "I am happy, Danny," she said. "I really am. And I promise that we will talk about this... But not right now. Right now, I just want to enjoy the night... With you."

Danny closed his eyes and rested his cheek against the top of Lindsay's head, breathing in the scent of her perfume. He knew that she meant what she said - they would talk about this. And he wanted to let it go, but he was so afraid that if he did she would push him away, not let him be there for her. Afraid that eventually, he would lose her. And he knew that he couldn't handle that.

He squeezed her closer as he collected himself and calmed his fears. She wasn't going anywhere, and neither was he. She would talk to him about it when she was ready, and that was good enough for him.

"Love you, Linds," he said as he pulled back and looked at her. "You wanna get out of here?"

She nodded her head. "Yeah," she said as she stood up, wiping the last of her tears away with the tips of her fingers. "I still have one more place that I want to show you."

"Montana," said Danny, sighing as he got up, "We don't have to do this, you know. You're cold and tired, and as much as I would love to see whatever it is that you've got in store for me, I think that maybe we should just call it a night."

"No, Danny!" she said. "I really want you to see this. Please?" She batted her eyelashes at him and as he smiled she could see that she'd won.

"Who am I to refuse you, with those big beautiful brown eyes?" he said as he wrapped his arm around her, leading her back to the car. "You and Lucy, you've both got me wrapped around your little fingers. You know that right?"

"Of course," she said as she leaned into him. "That's how it's supposed to be!"

Danny unlocked the car and before he helped her into her seat, he reached into the backseat and pulled out his jacket, wrapping it around her shoulders. "There," he said. "That will keep you warm."

"Danny, I have my own jacket in the car."

"Yeah," he nodded. "But your jacket doesn't smell like me, does it?"

She pulled the jacket up around her face and inhaled, smelling his cologne. "Mmmm," she sighed. "Eau de Danny Messer."

"Shut up," he chuckled as he helped her into her seat and closed the door. "Wiseass."

* * *

"It's just up here, Danny," she said, pointing into the darkness up ahead. "No, here Danny. Pull over."

"Okay! Jeez Linds," he said as he manoeuvred the car onto the side of the road. "Keep your panties on."

"Now that's something I never thought I'd hear you say," she giggled as she got out of the car.

"God, help me," Danny muttered under his breath, "I married a comedian."

"I heard that!" she said from outside the car.

"I meant for you to," he replied as he locked his door behind him. "Where are we?"

"You'll see," said Lindsay as she grabbed Danny's hand and began pulling him along a narrow path along the roadside.

They trudged along in silence for a few moments, then they crested a hill and as Danny took in the scene before him, the only word that came to his mind was _breathtaking_.

"Wow," he said.

"I know," she agreed. "Beats the New York skyline, no?" she asked as she winked at him.

"Hey, no fair using my own words against me, Montana," he said as he gazed in wonder of the wheatfield in front of him. The wheat was blowing gently in the breeze, lit only by the soft, white glow of the moonlight, stretching on for as far as they eye could see.

"Well?" she asked, bouncing beside him with excitement. "What do you think?"

He looked at her and smiled before pressing a kiss to her temple. "I think that you were right, honey," he said. "It's beautiful."

"I knew you'd like it," she said as she nuzzled into his neck. They stood in companionable silence for a few moments, enjoying the view in front of them. Finally Danny broke the silence.

"What're you thinking, Linds?" he asked.

"I'm thinking," she said thoughtfully, "I'm thinking that I want to go home."

"Are you cold? You want to go back to your parent's?"

Shaking her head, Lindsay explained, "No, Danny. I mean I want to go home... to New York."

She saw him cock one eyebrow at her, so she continued. "I love Montana, don't get me wrong," she said. "But it's not home anymore, Dan. Home is where we have our life together. And I miss it. I'm glad I came back, glad I got to see everyone, especially my parents and Susie. But I don't really belong here anymore. I belong with you and Lucy, in our apartment, in New York."

He crooked his finger under her chin, raising her face up to his and kissed her softly on the lips. "I'm so glad to hear you say that," he said after pulling away. "I wanted you to have this experience, to tie up loose ends and to show everyone how you've overcome everything that life has thrown at you. But I think deep down I was afraid that if we came back here, that you'd want to stay."

Lindsay looked at Danny. She'd never known that he'd felt like that, that he'd had this secret fear. "And if I wanted to stay?" she asked softly. "Would you stay with me?"

"In a heartbeat, babe," he said. "My home is wherever you are." She smiled brightly at him, her face iridescent in the moonlight. Then she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him into a passionate kiss.

* * *

After savouring the beauty of the moonlit wheatfield, they made their way back to the car. Once they were settled inside, Danny turned to Lindsay. "Where to now, boss?" he asked.

"Back to my parents," she said as she snuggled down into Danny's jacket. "I'm tired."

Danny turned the key in the ignition and put the car into gear, slowly pulling out onto the narrow road. Following Lindsay's directions they soon found themselves pulling up the Monroe's now-familiar driveway.

Turning in his seat, Danny smiled as he saw that Lindsay had fallen asleep curled up in his jacket. He got out of the car and quietly opened her door and unfastened her seatbelt. He gently lifted her into his arms and kicked the door closed with his foot before pressing the button on his keychain to lock the doors behind them.

He then carried his sleeping wife up the steps and to the kitchen door. "Shit," he muttered under his breath as he realized that the door was locked and he didn't have a key. "Shit, shit, shit," He said as he recalled that the key was in Lindsay's handbag, which was still in the car. Looking around him, Danny's eyes came to rest on the porch swing. Walking over to it, he carefully lowered Lindsay into the seat, making sure that she was secure and wouldn't fall off, before returning to the car to get her bag.

After searching for a minute, he found the bag tucked under the front seat of the car. Straightening up he felt a pair of hands running up his sides. "Shit, Montana," he said. "You surprised me. I'm sorry, I was trying not to wake you."

"It's okay, baby," she said as she kissed the back of his neck. "I had a nice nap, and now I'm not so sleepy anymore." He felt her lips on his neck and her hands slipped around his waist, resting on his stomach.

"Oh, yeah?" he said as he closed the car door. Turning in her arms, he looked down at his wife who was staring at him with pure desire written all over her face. "What did you have in mind, baby?"

"Well, remember last night?" she said as she nuzzled his neck, her arms drifting down his back and resting on his backside.

"Yeah," he said as he felt a growing heat in his lower body at the memories of the previous night's activities.

"Remember when you told me that I was insatiable, and then you asked what you were going to do with me?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"And I told you that I wanted to have round two tonight?"

Danny swallowed hard and licked his lips before replying. "Yeah."

"Well, I want you to make good on your promise, baby," she said as she pressed her body up against his and began to slowly grind her hips into his growing erection. "I want round two."

"But I thought we already had round two... back at the lookout... in the car..."

"That was just a warm up, baby," Lindsay purred as she began to kiss his jaw.

"Uh... um..." Danny's voice gave out at the feeling of his wife against him. He coughed to clear his throat. "Uh... where were you thinking?" he managed to choke out.

Lindsay stood up on her tiptoes and kissed his forehead before removing her hands from his waist and taking his hand in hers, leading him back toward the barn. But this time she didn't open the door. Instead, as they came to the large door, she simply turned and pushed him up against it, pressing up against him with her body and wrapping her arms around his neck, kissing him fiercely.

Danny rested his head against the wall of the barn as Lindsay broke off their kiss. She trailed a string of kisses along his jawline and to his ear, nibbling the soft skin she found there before she moved down his neck. When she came to his shirt she licked and sucked on the skin of his chest before running her fingers up under the hem of the shirt and scratching her nails lightly down his chest and stomach.

"Linds," Danny panted at the wild sensations that his wife was causing to run through his body. His erection was now straining almost painfully against the fabric of his pants and every movement that she made sent a fresh wave of arousal to go coursing through his veins. "Baby, I need you," he pleaded with her.

"I know," she said as she lifted his shirt and her head disappeared from his sight as she licked and kissed his stomach. "I can feel you, baby," she mumbled against his abs, her breath hot on his skin. He felt her hands reach for his belt and said a silent _thank you _as she unzipped his pants and let them drop around his ankles, his boxers soon following.

She continued to kiss her way further south, still concealed from his view by his shirt. He heard her drop to her knees in front of him, and her soft hands were caressing his hips. He hissed as he felt her blow lightly on the tip of his cock, sending a tingling sensation through his body as he shuddered in anticipation.

He reached down and lifted the hem of his shirt just in time to see her lean forward and take him in her mouth, drawing him in until she couldn't take in any more of his length. He groaned as she swirled her tongue around his cock and began to suck hard as she slowly withdrew him from her mouth.

"Oh, fuck, baby," he moaned as she began to pump his shaft with one of her hands, matching the steadily building rhythm of her mouth. She suddenly slowed down and grazed her teeth along his length, causing him to buck his hips involuntarily. "Oh, shit! Fuck, fuck, fuck!" he panted as his wife once again picked up her pace and took him repeatedly into her mouth.

He fisted his hands in her hair, guiding her, trying to get her to speed up, he was so close to the edge and he didn't know if he could take much more. "Please, baby," he said. "More, please." Lindsay responded by pulling him completely out of her mouth and gazing up at him. She smirked as he looked down at her.

"More what?" she breathed as she licked her lips.

"Just... just more. Please, baby," he begged. "I'm so close."

Smiling, Lindsay made sure he was watching before she leaned forward and took one of his balls in her mouth, gently sucking as she watched her husband close his eyes and writhe against the wall of the barn. She released him from her mouth before she turned her attention back to his cock, which she had continued to stroke gently with her fingers all the while.

She wrapped her lips around just the tip of his penis. She felt him twitch in her hand and her mouth and she knew that he was so close. "Mmmmmmmm," she hummed as she took him further into her mouth.

The feeling of her humming around his erection was all that Danny could take. He grunted in satisfaction as with a final stroke of her hand on his shaft, he let go and spilled into her mouth as she continued to swirl her tongue, gently now, around him.

"Oh, fucking hell, Lindsay," he panted as she sat back on her heals and moved her hands to his hips, caressing him lovingly as she licked the residue of his climax from her lips. "That was amazing, so fucking amazing. Holy shit, baby."

Lindsay smiled up at him before accepting his offered hand as he helped her stand up. She brushed off her knees and let him pull her into a tight embrace. She could feel his heart racing and he was still breathing hard as he came down from the dizzying heights of his release.

"Mmm," she said as she kissed his neck, skimming her hands along his bare hips. "I love you, Danny."

"Love you too, Linds," he said as he clung to his wife, running his hands up and down her back. "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me for doing something that I love to do, baby," she whispered in his ear. "I love watching you come undone like that, knowing that I did that to you."

Danny shivered at his wife's words. "That is so fucking hot," he said. "What did I do to deserve you, huh?"

"Well, you're a very good boy, Danny," she said. "And I like to give as good as I get. And I _got _really good the last night when you crawled through my bedroom window and went down on me. Or did you forget?"

"No way I could possibly forget that," he said as he lifted her chin up with the tip of his finger. "Last night was un-fucking-forgettable."

Lindsay closed her eyes and leaned up to meet Danny in a soft, loving kiss. He pulled back from her and grinned. "What?" she asked.

"Nothing. I'm just suddenly very aware that I'm not wearing any pants," he said as he leaned down and pulled up his boxers and pants from where they had collected around his ankles. "It was getting a little cold down there."

She smirked up at him. "Well, we can't have that, can we? Do you need some help keeping warm?" she said as her hand once again sought out the front of his pants.

"Oh, holy mother of God," Danny sighed in mock frustration. "Again?!?"

Lindsay nodded her head as she caressed him. "Not again, babe," she whispered. "Always. I always want you."

Danny groaned as he felt himself twitch to life once more at the touch of her attentive fingers.

* * *

**Eek. **

**I am a horrible person, cutting you off mid-smut like that. **Skitters under the bed and hides****

**But in my defence, I am very tired, and I've had a very stressful day, and I wanted to give you all **_**something**_** to read... and I promise to have more for you later. **

**Because there is more. So much more. More fluff, more family moments, more smut. Who knows? This story has taken on a life of it's own and now I realize that I am just the fingers that type it out... **

**Oh my gosh. I need sleep. Seriously. I really hope that I've been able to write a coherent and entertaining chapter, even in my sleep deprived state.**

**This chapter was a bit different, and to tell the truth I had no idea where it came from. I just started typing, and thinking about different places that Lindsay could show Danny. I actually wanted to have them - you know *winks* - **_**get it on**_**,****on the swings. But then from out of nowhere this whole other thing came up with the memories and the wheatfield and I just couldn't ignore it. I tried! I really did. But it finally beat me into submission. So I sincerely hope that the barn scene at the end makes up for it. **

**Please don't hurt me... **

**Just leave me a review and let me know if I should bury my head in the sand in shame.**


	10. A Book By It's Cover

**A/N: Thank you all for your support. I was having a rough few days, but I'm back again with an update! And it's got smut in it! Hooray!**

**Big shout out of thanks to brinchen86 for the idea for the location! Yay! You rock! And speaking of brinchen86, check out the fic that we are co-authoring. It's called Into the West (under the author name JustDantana)!**

**Thanks for the reviews. I will stop rambling here and let you get on to reading.**

**Disclaimer: They belong to me in my mind. Does that count?**

* * *

Lindsay smiled up at her husband as she felt his desire for her aroused yet again in the palm of her hand. She never got tired of the feeling of making him come alive with passion at her loving caresses, and she found so much joy in hearing him call her name out as he came. She leaned into Danny and kissed him deeply, running the hand that was not currently stroking him, through his hair and pulling him closer to her. She felt herself tingle with anticipation as he moaned longingly into her mouth.

She wanted him. So badly. She hadn't fbeen lying when she had told him that she always wanted him. How could she not? He was sweet, caring, funny, loving, smart, and a million other things that she had always wanted in a man. Never mind the fact that his rock hard body made her want to do a thousand naughty things to him.

She sighed as she felt his hands roam freely over her body and she cursed the fabric of her dress that was keeping her from feeling his fingers directly on her skin. She moaned in protest as Danny pulled away from their kiss.

"Sorry, baby," he whispered as he moved in to kiss her neck. "Can we… can we go somewhere else?" At her questioning look, he continued. "It's just, I want to make love to you, Lindsay. I don't want to just fuck you up against the side of the barn. Not that it wouldn't be fantastic, but I..."

He was cut off as Lindsay captured his lips in a sweet kiss. "I think I know just the place, baby."

She took his hand in hers and lead him away across the yard. He thought that they were going back to the house, but Lindsay surprised him by veering off to the left. They walked a short while through some brush until they came across a tiny out-building.

Danny was sceptical as he took in the rough and run-down appearance of what, to him, was a little shack. Seeing the expression on his face, Lindsay laughed, pulling him by the hand to the front door. "Don't look so worried, Danny," she giggled. "Haven't you ever heard that you're not supposed to judge a book by its cover?"

"Yeah, well, books I'm okay with," Danny said. "It's creepy little shacks in the woods that I have a problem with."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay said with a slight smirk on her face as she retrieved her keychain from her handbag and singled out a key from the group, inserting it in the lock. "Be prepared to eat your words, Messer." With that she pushed open the door, dragging Danny inside before she closed and locked the door behind them, finally reaching over to turn on the lights.

"Whoa! Holy shit, Linds. What is this place?" Danny couldn't hold back his amazement that the inside of the little shack could be so comfortable and inviting.

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders. "It's nothing much. It used to be used for storage and stuff, but when the ranch started expanding and dad needed help during the busy months, he wanted somewhere for the hands to stay while they were here. So he converted it into a little guest house, I guess you'd call it."

Danny gazed in wonder at the room around him. He had been so sure, looking at the outside, that the inside would be dank and dark and probably crawling with insects and possibly even rodents. But it was cozy and warm and bright, with simple yet comfortable looking furniture. There was a tiny kitchen with a small round dining table on one side of the open main room. Off that there was an open door that Danny could see led to a small bathroom, and two other doors that led to bedrooms, each with two sets of bunk beds.

And lodged in the main wall of the living room was a beautiful stone fireplace. Danny's eyes rested on this main feature in the room. He had always loved fireplaces – his grandmother had had one in her house, and he'd spent many childhood evenings parked in front of it reading or just listening to his grandparents tell stories about their life back in Italy, before they'd moved to New York.

"You like?" Lindsay asked, coming up behind him and wrapping her arms around his waist, her chin resting on his shoulder. Danny turned in her arms and kissed her forehead.

"You bet your cute little ass I do," he said. He inclined his head toward the fireplace. "You mind if I light a fire, babe?"

She smiled up at him and nodded. "That's a great idea, Danny," she said. "There should be some wood just outside."

Danny held her close once more before kissing her cheek and releasing her, heading outside to gather the wood. Lindsay took the opportunity to run into the bathroom and check on her appearance. Her curls were loose and tousled from her time on the swings, and her cheeks were flushed both from the cool of the evening, as well as the desire that was currently welling up inside her. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror before turning and walking out of the bathroom, flicking the light off behind her.

She saw that Danny had found the wood and was currently in the process of building a fire for them. She left him to his work while she went to the tiny linen closet and retrieved a few blankets and pillows. Turning back to the living room, she saw that Danny had turned off the lights, leaving the soft flickering glow from the fire to illuminate the room. He moved toward her and helped her to lay the blankets down on the floor in front of the fireplace. Then he took her in his arms and held her, whispering in her ear.

"You look so beautiful tonight, Linds. And I don't know if I tell you enough just how much I love you. How privileged I feel that you would have me in your life."

Lindsay smiled at her husband's words. "Danny, you tell me that you love me like a thousand times a day!" she said. "But it doesn't hurt to hear it once more. Especially when I know that you mean it. And I love you too, honey." She placed a gentle kiss to his shoulder before pulling back and looking him in the eyes. "Make love to me, Danny," she whispered.

Danny got chills down his spine whenever he heard Lindsay utter those magic words. He knew that they had an amazing sex life. They had so much trust in one another that they knew they could be adventurous and try new things without fear of getting hurt. But sometimes... sometimes he just wanted to stop and take the time to enjoy his wife's body. Let her know how amazingly sexy he found her. How he constantly desired her. He smirked at her before leaning in and whispering in her ear, "I think I can do that, babe."

He kissed her softly, letting his lips explore her own before gently touching the tip of his tongue against her own. He coaxed her with his mouth, while his hands moved up from her hips to the back of her dress, searching for the zipper fastening that he knew was there. As his fingers found the tiny metal tab, Lindsay released a soft moan into his mouth, causing his insides to churn with his craving for her.

He guided the zipper tab smoothly down her back with one hand, allowing the other to explore the newly revealed skin beneath. He broke apart from their kiss and moved his head down to suck gently on the soft skin of her neck, just below her ear. When the zipper reached its end, he pulled back slightly, running his hands up her back until they came to rest on her shoulders. He waited there, giving her a chance to tell him to stop. When she simply gazed adoringly at him, he kissed the tip of her nose before he began to slowly push the fabric of her dress down off her shoulders.

With her dress pooling around her feet, Lindsay revelled in the feeling of Danny's hands and eyes on her bare skin. She saw his eyes widen as he saw what she was wearing under her dress. "Is that…?"

Smiling up at him she nodded her head. "Yup. I finally fit into them again. What do you think?"

The look on Danny's face said more than his words ever could. She was wearing the same pair of lacy black panties and matching bra that she had worn their first night together. She had bought them specially for that night, not thinking that they would actually sleep together, but secretly hoping. And when he had undressed her, he had stared in wonder at the way the black lace had clung to her body. She had never forgotten that look on his face, and wanted to surprise him with it tonight.

They had lain, forgotten in her drawer, for a long time. She had wanted to take them out a few times, but had found that due to her pregnancy she no longer fit into the tiny, lacy garments. But after a year of losing her baby weight, she was finally back to her former figure, or at least close enough to squeeze into Danny's favourite lingerie once more.

"Wow… I… uh… you look… um…" Danny stuttered as he gazed in awe at his wife's lovely figure clad only in strategically placed swatches of delicate black lace.

"I didn't know if you'd recognize them, cowboy," she purred as she ran her fingers along the top trim of her bra cup. She couldn't help but notice the way Danny's eyes followed the trail of her fingers as she gently skimmed her cleavage.

"How could I not recognize them, baby?" he asked, his gaze still absorbed by the path her fingers were now taking over the soft cups of the bra, over the swell of her breasts. "You wore them that night… on the pool table. And I couldn't get over how sexy you looked. And how sexy you look right here, right now in front of me."

Surprising Lindsay with his quick movements, Danny quickly pulled his shirt over his head and undid his belt and the fly of his pants, kicking them off impatiently. "Hey," she protested, sticking her lip out in a pout. "I wanted to undress you!"

When he too was down to his underwear, he reached out to Lindsay, pulling her up against his body. "Sorry, Linds," he chuckled as he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her nose. "I just couldn't wait to feel you on my skin any more. And I had a pretty good idea that if I left it up to you, we'd be here all night. I know how you like to tease me," he said leaning his head back so that he could wink at her.

Danny moved them over closer to the fireplace before sitting down on the blankets they had strewn around the floor. He extended his hand to Lindsay, inviting her to join him. Accepting his hand, she settled herself beside him. He wrapped her in his arms and softly laid her back on the blankets, placing a pillow beneath her head to ensure that she was comfortable.

"I love you, Linds," he said.

"Love you back," she replied. Then she sighed as she felt Danny's lips on her neck. He kissed her and trailed his tongue in intricate patterns on her skin. At the same time, his hands roamed freely over her body, gliding down to her hips, then back up to her shoulders. He reached around behind her to release the clasp of her bra. She arched her back up toward him, feeling his hard stomach pressed up against her. She wrapped her arms around his waist, gently scratching her nails up and down his back.

When the clasp was undone, he hooked his fingers under the straps of her bra, pulling the dainty garment from her body and placing it on the floor beside them. Then he lowered his head and began to kiss the sensitive skin around her nipple, causing the rosy skin to form into a taut little nub. While he lavished attention on one breast, his hands made sure that the other wasn't forgotten, gently massaging and squeezing. Lindsay moaned at the feeling and grabbed his head with her hands, tangling her fingers in his hair as she bit her lower lip.

She gasped as Danny finally took her soft peak into his mouth and began to suck, the intense sensation in stark contrast to his gentle teasing. The hand on her other breast matched the actions of his mouth, rolling and pinching her nipple until he switched.

When he was satisfied with a job well done, he moved to bury his face in the valley between her breasts, sucking and nipping, but not hard enough to leave a mark. His hands now grazed down her sides, coming to rest on her hips as he ran his tongue over every inch of her stomach.

Lindsay writhed under his attention. She raised her legs and wrapped them around Danny's hips, trying to give him the hint that she wanted more. Her body was ready for him and she was not going to be patient.

"Danny, please baby," she panted as Danny nibbled on the skin just below her belly button. "Please, I don't want to wait anymore. Danny, I need you."

Danny looked up at her and smirked. "Impatient, are we Montana?" he asked. "Didn't your mother ever tell you that good things come to those who wait," he chided her.

"No she didn't," Lindsay breathed as she watched Danny skim his tongue along the skin just above the waistband of her panties. "She always said to ask and you shall receive."

"Hmmm," said Danny as he looked down to contemplate Lindsay's panties. "Your mother is a wise woman, Montana. Ask again, and let's see what happens."

"Danny," Lindsay whined as he started to trail kisses back up her body, away from the area of her body that needed the most attention.

"What do you want baby?" he asked as he sucked on the underside of her breast.

"I… I want…" Lindsay was having trouble forming an articulate sentence as the arousing ache continued to build in her abdomen. "I want you… I want to feel you… inside of me… now."

Danny had moved steadily back up her body and was now nipping at her collarbone with his teeth. At Lindsay's words, he raised his head and looked in her eyes which were dark with lust. "I think I can help you with that babe," he said.

Sitting back on his heels, he unhooked one of Lindsay's legs from around his hips, caressing from her ankle down to her thigh before resting her leg on the ground. He then turned to the other leg and repeated his action. Then he reached down and peeled down her panties, taking his time, dragging his fingers along her legs as he slowly freed her from the last of her clothing.

He then hooked his fingers into the waistband of his boxers discarding them into the pile with the rest of his clothes. He then leaned forward and grabbed her thighs, squeezing gently as he hooked her legs back around his hips. Bending down and resting his weight on his arms he covered her body with his own, basking in the feeling of his body connected to hers from head to toe. He trailed his fingers down her cheek in a loving gesture and kissed her softly, slowly building up to something far more urgent.

"You ready?" he asked as he broke their kiss.

In response, Lindsay angled her hips up to him, pressing her warm, wet centre against his hard cock and causing him to groan. Not wanting to wait anymore he guided himself to her opening and slid himself inside of her, allowing her time to stretch and adjust to his length.

Lindsay leaned her head back into the pillow and let out a breathy sigh as she felt Danny bury himself in her. Although she loved the teasing, there was no feeling in the world like being fully joined with her husband. She knew he was waiting for her signal before he started moving and she opened her eyes and smiled at him, running her fingers through his hair. "I'm good, baby," she whispered. "So good."

Taking his cue from her, Danny began to slowly withdraw from her before he slid back in. He set a slow, languorous pace, wanting to take his time and relish the felling of her tightness surrounding him as he moved in her. However, Lindsay had other ideas as she began to buck her hips up to meet him, urging him on, pleading with him to go faster.

"Baby, please," she panted as he sped up his pace. "Please, please go faster. Go... oh my God! Right there! Oh Danny right there! Don't stop! Don't stop!!!"

Danny continued his thrusts into her, aiming for the same spot each time. He watched as Lindsay's eyes closed and she bit her lip, all the while bucking her hips up to him to match his thrusts.

"Montana, open your eyes babe," he said. When her eyes remained closed, Danny leaned in and kissed her sweetly before pulling back. "Look at me Lindsay," he whispered.

He watched as she cracked open her eyes. "Don't hold back, baby," he said. "Stop holding back and just let yourself go."

Lindsay's mouth opened and she let out a shout of ecstasy as she felt herself getting closer to the edge. "Oh Danny! Baby, please, I'm so close!"

Taking her hint, Danny moved one of his hands from supporting his weight and slid it between their writhing bodies, finding her clit with his fingers. He rubbed the tiny nub gently in time with his thrusts until he felt her muscles begin to contract around him.

"Danny! Oh, my God!" she cried as she finally let go and the world exploded around her. She felt Danny continue to thrust a few more times until he finally lowered his head to the crook of her neck and let out a long, low groan as he too found his release.

They lay there a moment, basking in the glow of the fire, their bodies still prickling with the sensations of their climaxes. Finally, Danny raised his head and pressed a loving kiss to Lindsay's forehead. Lindsay continued to pant, trying to catch her breath, her fingers still digging into the flesh of his back, her legs wound around his hips.

"Wow," she whispered as she inclined her head to kiss his lips. "I love you Dan. So much. That was amazing."

"Glad you approve, baby," he said as he reached down and unwound her legs from his hips, pulling out of her and lying down on his back. She moved onto her side and curled into him.

Lying in front of the fire, they found comfort in each other's arms. Lindsay trailed her fingers up and down Danny's chest, playing with his dog tags. Danny tangled his hand in her hair, loving the feeling of the smooth strands as they slipped between his fingers.

Danny felt himself drifting off to sleep, exhausted after their long day. "Come on, Danny," Lindsay said as she heard his breathing even out, indicating that he was not far from sleep. "We have to clean up in here and get to bed. We've got stuff to do in the morning and a long flight tomorrow afternoon."

"Mmm," Danny replied. "Five more minutes."

Laughing, Lindsay smacked him lightly on the chest. "No. No more minutes, Danny. Get up! I don't want my parents to get up in the morning and find the bedroom empty. They might come looking for us. And do you really want them to walk in here and find us sprawled out here on the floor?"

"Danny snuggled closer to Lindsay. "It's no big deal," he said. "I've got you to protect me."

Lindsay laughed, "Aw! You know, I think that's the most romantic thing I've ever heard you say, Danny! Now get up, or I'm going to leave you here by yourself, and tomorrow you can explain to my parents why you were sleeping, alone and naked on the floor of the guest house."

"You're a mean woman, Lindsay Messer," Danny said as he sat up.

They quickly got redressed and doused the fire. Lindsay bundled up the blankets and they carried them back to the house with them, leaving them in the laundry room. They smiled when they saw that Dana had finished their laundry for them, leaving a neatly folded pile on top of the dryer with a note.

_Hi kids,_

_Hope you two had a good time. _

_I can't wait to hear all the details. _

_Have a good sleep. _

_Love you both,_

_Mom._

Smirking, Danny and Lindsay looked at one another.

"We're going to have to decide what we're going to tell them about tonight," Danny said with a smirk on his face. "I don't know how crazy your mom would be about hearing about us fooling around in the car or you giving me a blow job in their front yard."

Lindsay smirked right back at him. "She may not want to hear about it, baby, but I will think about it all night long."

Danny grinned at his wife. "You really are insatiable. You know that, right?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically before picking up the pile of clothes. Together they made their way upstairs to bed.

* * *

**So? What did we think? Were we happy with the return of the smut? With the return of the story in general? I hope so. Please let me know!!!**

**Next chapter – more Lucy, Dana and John (I told you they'd be back!)**


	11. Gotcha!

**A/N: Hello! I'm back! I owe you guys an apology - after several consecutive days of updates I've been a bit behind this week, but I'm back now! Thank you all so much for your reviews! And to those of you who aren't reviewing, thanks for reading and for adding this story to your faves or story alerts!!!!**

**So, where are we? Oh right. Danny and Lindsay have been sneaking around her parent's property looking for places to *ahem* get it on without getting caught. And so far they've been pretty successful. **

**Or have they? Mwa ha ha!!! Read on!**

**Disclaimer: I give up! Yes. They're mine. Oh, and the sky is pink and pigs fly.**

* * *

Dana was awoken by the sound of a car pulling into the gravel driveway. She stirred in her sleep and blinked her eyes open sleepily just in time to see the lights from the car's headlights shine through her curtain windows, momentarily illuminating the room before the lights were switched off along with the car ignition.

She glanced at the clock on her bedside table. It was after 1 am. The reunion must have gone on longer than expected. She smiled to herself as she thought about her daughter showing up at that reunion and showing everyone that she was brave and strong, despite what they may have thought about her in high school.

She heard a car door slam closed and she decided that since she was up, she would go downstairs to see if either of them wanted a drink or something to eat before they went to bed. Before heading downstairs, Dana moved to the window and peeked out, seeing Danny walking around the car to the passenger side. She smiled as he opened the door to find Lindsay sound asleep. She watched as he gently scooped her up in his arms and carried her to the house.

As their forms disappeared from her view beneath the cover of the porch, Dana listened for the sound of the door being opened. She was about to run downstairs to let them in, figuring that Danny might have a hard time of it with his arms full. But a moment later she saw Danny heading back out to the car. He opened the passenger side door and began digging around on the floor of the car, reaching under the seat until he found what he was looking for. Lindsay's purse.

So engaged was she in watching Danny's search of the car that Dana almost missed the figure that slipped silently down from the porch toward the car. Lindsay snuck up behind her husband and wrapped her arms around him, causing him to jump. Dana watched as Danny turned in Lindsay's arms after closing the car door. Even from a distance she could see the love and desire written all over his face as Lindsay nuzzled her face into his neck. Dana smiled. She knew that it would probably be a while before they headed back into the house now.

Backing away from the window to give the couple outside their privacy, Dana slid back under the covers of her bed and snuggled up beside her husband.

"They back?" he asked sleepily.

"Mmm hmmm," Dana replied, wrapping her arms around John as she felt herself drifting off to sleep.

"Should we go down and see how their night went?"

"Probably not a good idea," said Dana.

There was a pause before John spoke again. "They're outside right now, making out again aren't they?"

Dana turned her face into her husband's chest, stifling the laugh that was threatening to escape her lips and simply nodded her head.

John sighed. "Why don't they just do it in the house like normal people?" he pondered out loud. "If they're going to the barn again, I hope they remember to close the door this time. We could have had coyotes in there after they left it open all night."

Dana smiled to herself as she listened to her husband rant. As she drifted off to sleep she heard him muttering something about, "No business borrowing my cowboy hat... who does he think he is?"

* * *

"Daniel James Messer! Get your butt downstairs right now or we are leaving without you!" Lindsay screamed up the stairs. She and Danny were packing the last of their belongings into their rental car. They were going to follow her parents into town to have breakfast and spend a little more time together before heading off to airport in nearby Belgrade.

"Yeah, yeah! Hold your horses, Montana!" Danny said as he descended the stairs, Lucy's bag slung over his shoulder. "Just taking one last look around, making sure we didn't forget anything."

"Well if we forgot something Mom will send it to us," Lindsay snapped. She was tired and irritable. After their tryst in the guesthouse last night she had had a restless sleep. Her mind refused to settle down as thoughts of saying goodbye to her parents kept popping up. No matter how many times she left, or how long she had been away, it always caused her heart to ache at the thought that once she stepped back onto that plane, she might not see her parents again.

Hearing the tension in her voice Danny put Lucy's little bag down on the floor and took her in his arms, rubbing her back soothingly. "Hey, you okay Linds?" he asked before kissing her forehead.

"I'm fine," she said in a voice that conveyed that she was anything but. She snaked her arms around Danny's waist as she buried her face in his chest and started to cry. "I'm not fine," she wailed as he continued to stroke her back.

"Really? I couldn't tell," he smiled as he kissed her temple. Then he pulled away and held her head gently between his hands, gazing down at her with concern. "Seriously though, babe. What's wrong?"

Lindsay gave him a watery smile and he stroked her cheeks with his thumbs, wiping away her tears. "I always get like this when I leave Montana," she said as she played with the buttons on the front of his shirt. "I get all overly-emotional. I'm just so far away from them, you know? What if something happens to them and I don't get here in time to say goodbye? What if something happens to me and they can't get out to New York in time? It's silly, I know. But it's something that I think about."

Using his hands, Danny gently tilted her head back so that he could place a delicate kiss on her lips. "I meant what I said last night, honey," he whispered against her lips, his forehead pressed against hers, their noses touching. "If you wanted to move back here, I would do it for you. Where you go, I go."

A fresh wave of tears welled up in her eyes, only this time they were tears of joy at the love she had for this man standing in front of her in her parent's kitchen. She rubbed her nose against his before speaking. "I love New York. That's where our home is Danny. I really meant it when I said that last night. But thank you. It means a lot to hear you say that. It's always something we can think about down the road."

She tightened her grip on Danny, hugging him to her fiercely before letting him go. He smiled at her and stroked her hair, giving her a wink before he bent and retrieved Lucy's bag from the floor. "Love you, Linds," he said as he walked across the kitchen and down the stairs to the car.

"Love you back!" she called after him. Then she turned in a full circle, taking in every inch of the kitchen where she had grown up before walking outside and closing the door behind her.

* * *

After breakfast Danny, John and Lucy had wandered off to play in the park for a few minutes while Lindsay and her mother did a bit of last-minute shopping for snacks and magazines for the flight home.

"Did you and Danny have fun last night?" Dana asked as she handed Lindsay a bag of Liquorice Allsorts. Lindsay turned up her nose at the sweets and pointed instead to the package of M&Ms on the shelf.

"We did," she said as she placed the bag of candy in her basket before meandering further up the aisle. "We saw Susie Hayes. You remember her?"

Dana thought for a moment. "Little red-headed thing? You and she were lab partners in science weren't you?" Lindsay nodded her head. "And how's Susie? I remember her being very friendly."

"Yeah, she was always friendly. Still is, as a matter of fact. She and I are going to try to stay in touch - she lives in Denver now. She just got divorced and has two little boys. She teaches high school science now."

"Anybody else that I would know there last night?" Dana inquired.

"A couple people maybe," Lindsay said as she picked up a gossip magazine and read over the sordid stories on the cover. Seeing a picture of a voluptuous blond with overdone bleached hair and too much make-up made her think of a certain former classmate and she couldn't stop the smirk that was slowly spreading across her face.

"And what is that look for, young lady?" Dana asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Well, you remember Belinda Jordan?" Dana scrunched up her nose in distaste at the mention of the name. Lindsay laughed at her mother's reaction. "Apparently you do! Well, she was hitting on Danny yesterday at the fairground, and again at the party last night. She was practically throwing herself at him, checking out his ass and everything..."

"Miserable slut," Dana muttered under her breath.

"Mom!" Lindsay chastised her mother.

"What? She can have anyone, she doesn't have to go after my baby girl's husband," Dana defended herself.

Lindsay snickered, "Well, I don't know if she could have anyone nowadays. She's pretty trashy, actually. Danny said up close he almost felt sorry for her - she was trying way too hard."

"Hmph. Well that's good to hear," said Dana. "So what happened?"

Lindsay relayed the tale to her mother, who doubled over with laughter as Lindsay described the look on Belinda's face when she told her off. "Oh, Lindsay," Dana said, wiping tears of laughter from her eyes as she struggled to regain her breath. "I knew that we didn't raise you to roll over and play dead. Good girl! Oh, I can't wait to tell the girls at the bridge club about that."

Lindsay smiled and took her mother by the arm and they wandered up and down the aisles of the store in companionable silence.

"So, Lindsay," Dana asked casually, "What time did you guys get home last night?"

Lindsay looked up at her mother. "Uh... um... about 1 o'clock, I think. Why?"

"Oh, no reason. Just curious," said Dana as she pretended to examine a particularly hideous shade of lipstick. She hazarded a glance at her daughter before ploughing on. "Its just that I noticed that there were some blankets in the laundry room this morning. Did you guys go out to the barn again?"

Lindsay's heart stopped beating in her chest and she dropped the bottle of hand lotion she had been holding. She slowly lifted her gaze up to meet her mother's, her eyes wide in shock. "Wh... what?" she stammered. "I... I don't... I mean, we didn't...."

"Lindsay, honey," Dana said, bending down to pick up the fallen bottle of lotion and placing it back on the shelf. "It's okay, sweetie." She took Lindsay's face in her hands. "No matter how far away you move, or how long you're gone, our home is still your home. Yours and Danny's and Lucy's. We don't ever want any of you to feel unwelcome in any way, Lindsay. There's nothing wrong with a husband and wife expressing their love for one another. It's not necessarily something that I want to see... but I know that you're both grown-ups and you love each other. And like I said - that Danny - he's a cutie! And if your... adventures, shall we say... result in beautiful little babies like Lucy, then who are we to complain?"

Lindsay felt herself turning beet red and wanted desperately to look anywhere but at her mother. However, she was prevented from moving by the firm grip Dana had on her face. "How did you know?" she asked softly.

Dana patted her cheek lovingly. "A mother always knows, Lindsay," she said knowingly. "Besides, you left the barn door open and there were blankets covered in hay in the laundry the next morning." Dana shrugged her shoulders. "Now, I may not be a forensic scientist, but I can put two and two together and get four, Lindsay Ann Mon... Messer."

Her face still beet red, Lindsay smiled nervously at her mother. "Does... ugh, I can't believe I'm asking this... but does Dad know?" she asked.

"Who do you think noticed the barn door?" Dana asked with a twinkle in her eye.

"Oh my God!" Lindsay moaned in horror at the thought of her father and mother discussing what she and Danny might have been up to in the barn the previous night.

"Don't worry, sweetie," Dana said as she moved away down the aisle. "He wants another grandbaby from you both just as much as I do. However, I think he would prefer if said grandchild was conceived indoors, if you get my drift." Lindsay's mouth dropped open as her mother winked cheekily at her. "And if you two are half as eager as your father and I were at your age, we shouldn't have to wait too much longer for number two!"

Lindsay stared at her mother in horror as Dana gently patted her flat stomach before wandering off down the aisle with their basket of wares toward the cashier. Lindsay looked down at her stomach where her mother's hand had just lay. Now there was something to think about.

* * *

Danny chased Lucy through the small park in the centre of Bozeman and John sat on a bench and watched the pair, a smile on his face.

"Dada no get Yoo-see!" she squealed as she ran as fast as her little legs could carry her. Danny jogged along behind her for a few moments, smiling down every time she turned to see how close he was getting. Finally, after she had peaked at him one last time, Danny picked up his pace and reached down scooping the little girl up in his arms and blowing a loud, wet raspberry on her tummy. She giggled and flailed in his arms.

"Who gets Lucy?" Danny asked as he held her upside down and tickled her.

"Dada! Dada get Yoo-see!" she giggled.

Danny smiled down at his daughter. He was amazed on a daily basis how much he could love one tiny little person. He had been so nervous before she was born. He had worried that he would meet her and that he wouldn't feel anything, or that she wouldn't feel anything for him. But the second he had held her in his arms for the first time his heart had overflowed with all the love he felt for her. And the first time she had reached out her tiny hand and grabbed onto his finger, he had known that not only was she his daughter - she was his little girl. His Daddy's Girl.

He lifted Lucy up, sitting her on his shoulders before making his way over to where John was sitting on a bench.

"G'appa! P'ay Yoo-see p'ease?" Lucy asked sweetly as Danny lowered her onto the bench to sit between himself and his father-in-law.

"Oh, Lucy. Grandpa's too old to play," John said as he smiled down at the little girl.

"P'ease G'appa?" she pleaded resting her tiny hand on his larger one. "P'ease p'ay Yoo-see?"

John looked up at Danny and grinned. "How do you ever say no to her?" he asked with a chuckle.

"What makes you think I do?" laughed Danny. "Yeah, she's deadly with those eyes."

"She sure is," John nodded. "Okay, little girl. Do you want to go for a ride on the swings with Grandpa?"

"Ya p'ease!" Lucy squealed excitedly as John took her by the hand and led her over to the swings with Danny following.

"Now Lucy," Danny said, kneeling down on the ground beside his daughter. "We have to go meet Mommy and Grandma in five minutes. So that means that when Daddy says playtime is over, it's time to go. No tears, okay?"

"T'ay," said Lucy as she reached her little arms in the air, wanting to be picked up and placed in the swing.

Danny rolled his eyes at his father-in-law and sighed. "Well, there's no harm in trying, I guess."

John gave Lucy's swing a gentle push once she was settled in the baby seat, then he looked up at Danny. "You're doing just fine, son," he said. "She's a good little girl. She's obviously very happy and very much loved by her parents."

Danny stood there in shock, not quite sure what to say. Had his father-in-law - the man who had been cleaning a gun at his kitchen table and making veiled threats at him not two days ago - just given him a compliment? He didn't know quite what to say, so he figured that he would play it safe. "Uh, thank you, sir," he said.

"Oh please, son," John scoffed at him. "Stop calling me sir... you can call me John or... or Dad."

"Really? Uh, sorry sir... uh... Dad," Danny stuttered. "Lindsay told me that I should always call you..." Danny trailed off as realization dawned on him. A wide grin split his face as he thought back to the day he had first met Lindsay and convinced her to call Mac "sir". It was a term that Mac hated, especially when it was applied to him. She had been furious with Danny when Mac had gently corrected her. It had taken her almost five years, but she had finally gotten him back.

"What was that son?" John asked him.

"What? Oh nothing," Danny replied. "I'm just thinking that my wife has a wicked sense of humour."

"Yeah," John agreed. "Gets that from her mother."

They stayed and entertained Lucy on the swings for a few moments more before Danny checked his watch and realized that it was time for them to meet up with Lindsay and Dana and head to the airport.

"Okay Lucy," Danny said as he grabbed Lucy's swing and pulled her to a gentle stop. "Playtime's over. Time to go meet Mommy!"

"No!" Lucy said. "P'ease Dada, Yoo-see p'ay!"

Danny shook his head and knelt down in front of the swing. "No Lucy. Please listen to Daddy. It's time for us to go, okay? Playtime is all done, and we're going to go with Grandpa to meet Mommy and Grandma so we can go home."

Lucy's blue eyes began to well up with tears and her bottom lip began to tremble. "Lucy Messer," Danny said in a low, firm voice. "Don't even think about pulling a tantrum on Daddy right now. You've had your fun time on the swings and now it's time to go."

A single crocodile tear trickled down Lucy's chubby little cheek as she nodded her head. "T'ay Dada," she agreed feebly.

"Okay, so let's show Grandpa what a big girl you are. No more tears for my big girl, okay?"

"T'ay Dada," Lucy sniffled, reaching up her arms and wiggling her fingers toward Danny. He obliged her and picked her up, cuddling her to his chest.

"There's my good girl," Danny whispered into her ear as he jiggled her on his hip, eliciting a soft giggle from her. He gently wiped her tears and her nose on the sleeve of his coat before pressing a kiss to her tiny nose. "Love you Lucybear," he said.

"Yoo-see wuv Dada," she said as she grabbed his cheeks and placed a sloppy kiss on his nose. Danny's heart almost exploded with joy at the sound of those three words coming from his daughter.

"Alright, enough of this sappy stuff," said John gruffly, albeit with an enormous smile on his face. "Let's get this show on the road. You've got a plane to catch." John paused briefly to pinch Lucy's cheek and pat Danny on the shoulder before moving off in the direction of the car.

"You know something, Luce," Danny told his daughter, "I think he likes me. What do you think, hey?"

Lucy grinned at her father. "G'appa wuv Dada," she said before leaning forward and blowing a sloppy wet raspberry on his cheek.

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**So? Are we happy to see some more of John, Dana and Lucy? I hope that everyone had a good laugh at least once during this chapter!! I would love to hear your thoughts so please don't be a stranger and leave me a review or other comment!**

**This story is winding down, so there are only a few chapters left to go... but fear not. I have a plethora (my word of the day - and I used it in a sentence and everything. Go me! I am just made of awesomeness today!!!) of other stories in my head just waiting to be unleashed on your poor unsuspecting victims. Did I say victims? I meant readers. Whoopsie do ;)**

**BTW I'm looking for ideas for upcoming stories so if there's anything you would like to see me try my hand at, let me know. I've had a few suggestions already but more is appreciated! **


	12. Time to Go

**A/N: Thank you once more for your reviews! I love writing the fluff so much, and who doesn't love seeing Danny with his little girl? I am so happy that you all liked the last chapter! This one is a bit shorter, but I hope it's just as satisfying for you.**

**Please don't forget to leave me a review or comment when you're done reading!!**

**Disclaimer: I only own them in my dreams. **

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"Well, that's the last of it," Danny said as he lifted the last of their bags from the car to the luggage trolley. "I'm just going to go turn in the keys to the car rental place and then I'll meet you guys at the check-in, okay?"

"Okay. Thanks honey," said Lindsay as she leaned toward Danny, pursing her lips, asking for a kiss. He obliged her, pressing his lips against hers softly before turning and walking away, pushing the luggage trolley in front of him.

Lindsay bent down, about to pick up her carry-on bag, but her father beat her to it.

"Here, sweetie," he said, slinging the strap over his shoulder. "Let me get that for you."

"Thanks, Dad," she said. "You ready to go home, Lucy?"

Lucy stopped sucking on her bear's ear to look at her mother. "Home p'ease," she said before turning to grin at her grandmother, on whose lap she was sitting.

Dana smiled at her granddaughter. "Oh, Grandma's going to miss you, Lucy. Do you know that?" Dana asked.

"T'ay," said Lucy, placing her bear's ear back in her mouth and chewing on the soft, soggy fabric once more.

Lindsay scooped Lucy up off of her grandmother's lap before placing a kiss to her cheek. "Alright, Luce," she said. "Let's go find Daddy!" She began walking through the airport doors toward the check-in desk for their airline.

"Dada!" Lucy squealed excitedly, kicking her little feet. "Dada home p'ease!"

Lindsay smiled and adjusted Lucy's little hat that had fallen down and was covering her eyes. "Yes, baby," she said. "We're going home with Daddy. Are you excited to go home to New York?"

"Yock?" Lucy asked, cocking her head to one side. "Home?"

"Yes Lucy," Lindsay chuckled at her daughter. "New York is our home."

Lucy peaked over her mother's shoulder to John and Dana who were following close behind. "G'amma Yock?" she asked. "G'appa Yock?"

Lindsay stopped when she reached the end of the line of people waiting to check-in for their flights, scanning the crowd for Danny. "What's that, baby?" she asked Lucy.

"G'amma G'appa Yock p'ease," Lucy said as she pointed a chubby finger at her grandparents.

"Oh, sweetie," Lindsay said as she brushed a blond curl back of Lucy's forehead. "No, Grandma and Grandpa are not coming to New York. They're going to stay here in Montana."

"No Yock?" Lucy asked, her little brow furrowed as she processed the information. Lindsay had to hold back a laugh at Lucy's expression. She looked so much like Danny when he was contemplating a difficult piece of evidence.

Shaking her head, Lindsay tried to explain. "No, Lucy. Grandma and Grandpa live in Montana," she said. "But maybe one day they will come visit us in New York, okay?"

Lucy looked over Lindsay's shoulder once again and reached out her tiny hand to her grandparents. "No 'Tana. Yock, p'ease G'amma. Yock p'ease G'appa."

"What's that now, little lady?" John asked as he reached out, letting Lucy's little fingers wrap around his larger one.

Lindsay kissed Lucy's cheek and turned to her parents. "She wanted to know why you're not coming home with us. I explained that you live here, and now she wants you both to come visit. Isn't that right Luce?" she asked.

Lucy merely nodded her head before withdrawing her hand from her grandfather's finger and resting her head on Lindsay's shoulder, once more sucking on her bear's ear.

Dana placed her hand gently on Lucy's back and rubbed softly. "We promise that we'll come and see you, Lucy," she said. "Grandma and Grandpa will come visit you in New York, okay?"

"T'ay," Lucy said before letting out a dramatic sigh.

Lindsay smirked at her daughter's theatrics. She was not even quite one year old and had already mastered the fine art of pouting.

"Hey, you ready to boogie?" Danny asked as he approached the group, manoeuvring the luggage trolley deftly through the crowds.

"We were just waiting on you, babe," Lindsay said as they moved forward to take their place at the check-in counter. She had their tickets in her handbag and she passed them to Danny once he had handed over their luggage.

After they had gotten checked in, it was time to say their goodbyes as John and Dana couldn't follow them through the security check.

Lindsay handed Lucy over to Danny before reaching out to her mother and pulling her into a tight hug. "I love you, mom," she whispered, feeling her throat close up as the emotions of leaving her parents began to take over. "Thank you so much for everything."

"Nonsense," said Dana as she squeezed Lindsay tightly. She sniffled loudly, not bothering to hold back her own tears. "You know that you are always welcome here. Anytime." She released Lindsay from her embrace and held her at arm's length. "You're my baby girl," she said as she chucked Lindsay under her chin. "And I'm so very proud of you."

Dana leaned in and placed a kiss on Lindsay's cheek before whispering in her ear. "And you have fun with that husband of yours. I expect another grandbaby soon, so get busy."

"Mom!" Lindsay blushed as her mother flitted away to fuss over Lucy. John sidled over to Lindsay and took her face in his hands.

"Love you, princess," he said as he kissed her forehead. Lindsay wrapped her arms around her father and sighed as he held her close.

"I love you too, Daddy," she said, her tears now flowing freely down her cheeks. She looked up and gave her father a watery smile before embracing him quickly once more. Then she released her tight grip and she and her father turned to watch Dana as she kissed and hugged Lucy, holding her in her arms and causing the little girl to giggle with glee at the attention.

When she was done, Dana handed Lucy over to John so that he could say his goodbyes. Dana turned to Danny and smiled at him. "It was so nice to finally meet you, Danny," she said.

"You too," said Danny. He was unsure of what to say or do in this situation, so he shuffled his feet and gave Dana a shy smile. "And thanks for having us. It was really nice to get to meet you both and to see where Lindsay comes from."

Dana smiled back at him and without any warning she reached out and pulled him into a tight hug. "Thank you, Danny," she whispered in his ear.

"Um, what are you thanking me for?" Danny asked, slightly confused.

Dana pulled back from their hug and took Danny's face in her hands. "When Lindsay left for New York, she was a shadow of the person she once was," she said, tears glistening in her eyes. "And now? Now she's confident and self-assured. She's gotten her sense of humour back, and she's got that zest for life that she seemed to be missing for so long. And I have a sneaking suspicion that you have a lot to do with that, Mr. Messer."

Danny stood there, blushing furiously at what his mother-in-law had said. "I... I didn't do anything," he said.

Dana shook her head at him and smiled. "You loved her," she said. "You made her feel special and you accepted her for who she is. And for that, I will always be grateful to you. You are more than welcome at our house anytime, okay Danny?"

"Thanks, Mom," he said before he pulled her in for a quick hug. "And thanks for being so cool about us. I know we didn't exactly do things the conventional way. And I'm sure that a lot of parents wouldn't have been so pleased with having a guy like me for a son-in-law. But I love your daughter. I know I don't deserve her, but I will try my very best everyday to make myself more worthy of her."

"Don't sell yourself short, Danny," Dana said as she patted his cheek affectionately. "Now, I'm sure that John wants to say goodbye to you too, so I'll just send him over."

Danny tensed as he watched his father-in-law hand Lucy over to Lindsay before turning and walking over to where Danny stood. They stood there and looked at each other for a moment, neither sure what to say. Finally, Danny extended his hand to John.

"It was a real pleasure to meet you, sir... I mean Dad," he said, blushing at his verbal slip up. "Thank you very much for your hospitality and for... um... not shooting me."

A sly grin slid across John's face as he took Danny's hand in his and shook it firmly. "Nah, I never would have shot you," he chuckled. "Dana would have had my balls in a jar in the kitchen if I had laid a finger on you." Danny visibly relaxed and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. "Besides, some smartass went and hid all my ammunition. Who do you think would have done a thing like that?" John said, his eyes hardening into a frosty glare.

Danny froze and his mouth gaped open and closed a few times. He couldn't seem to find his voice, and he could feel the palm of his hand sweating in John's firm grip. "Ah, I'm just messing with you, son!" John laughed, slapping Danny on the shoulder. "You make my little girl happy, and that's good enough for me."

Danny smiled warily at his father-in-law and let out a nervous laugh. "Well, thank you for that... I think."

"Now, you take good care of her, son," said John as he released Danny's hand from his grip and started to walk back toward Dana, Lindsay and Lucy. "Oh, and son?" John said as he turned back to Danny.

"Yes, sir?" Danny asked.

"The next time you come to my house, you bring your own cowboy hat, alright?"

Danny felt his jaw drop to the floor as he watched his father-in-law smirk at him then turn and walk over to where the rest of his family stood. He kissed Lindsay and Lucy and then slung his arm over Dana's shoulders. He looked at Dana and they shared a knowing smile with one another.

Lindsay watched the transaction between Danny and her father and couldn't help her own cheeks from turning pink once again at the thought of her parents knowing about their escapades in the barn. She gave them both a smile and raised Lucy's little arm to wave goodbye before she walked over to where Danny was standing, his mouth still gaping.

"Close your mouth, Danny," she giggled.

"But... but... he knew?" Danny sputtered as he and Lindsay turned and began to make their way toward the security check. "How? We were so careful!"

"Not careful enough, I guess," Lindsay smirked.

As they reached the security counter, Lindsay turned to take one last look at her parents. Her father still had his arm draped over her mother's shoulders, and Dana was smiling a teary smile back at her daughter.

Lindsay waved and smiled as her father called out, "Be good, you two!"

"And if you can't be good, be careful!" Dana finished.

"We will!" Lindsay called. She blew a kiss to her parents and watched as Danny placed their carry-on bags onto the conveyor belt to proceed through the x-ray machine before emptying his pockets into a small basket. Then he took Lucy from her and walked through the security scanner. Lindsay followed suit and soon they were cleared and ready to go.

Sneaking one last look at her parents, Lindsay took Danny's hand in hers. Hand in hand, and with Lucy in her arms, they headed off to their gate to board the plane that would take them home.

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**So? What do we think? I am planning one more chapter back in New York. Do we want to see that? Or are we done here? Please, please say you want more!!! I don't want to be done with this story just yet!!!**


	13. Wake Up, Danny

**A/N: Hello my lovelies! **

**I should explain that I've been sick with Bronchitis, so I haven't really had the energy to do much writing, but I'm feeling loads better today, and I thought that you all deserved an update! Yay!**

**I need to give you all a gigantic thank you for all the wonderful reviews I received for the last chapter. I am **_**so**_** happy that you all enjoyed it! I thought we needed to see some more Messer/Monroe family time before they headed back to New York, and I couldn't resist letting John torture Danny at least once more! LOL. I will be replying to the reviews shortly, and I'm sorry for the delay. *Hangs head in shame***

**So, here we are at lucky Chapter 13. I have decided that there will be at **_**least**_** one more chapter after this one. This was going to be the last, but I got distracted from the plot of the story by all the smut that I was inspired to add to this chapter, which I know that you're all going to hate. *Cackles evilly* But, alas, you shall have to suffer. Next chapter we will actually get back to the plot. But for now, please enjoy some hot Danny/Lindsay loving!**

**Warning****: This chapter contains the dreaded "**_**P-word**_**". If this word offends you, ****please stop reading immediately****. Go and do something else and come back when I've updated with the next chapter. I don't want to hear anyone complaining that they've been offended by my filthy language. You've been warned fair and square. So there. Hmph.**

**Disclaimer: One day, they will be mine. Oh yes, they will be mine. Mwa ha ha! Oh, hi Mr. Bruckheimer. What's this? A restraining order? Well that hardly seems fair. **

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Lindsay flicked through the channels, idly searching for something to watch. She sighed and decided to give up and try to get some sleep. She pressed the power button on the remote and the TV clicked off, leaving her staring momentarily at a blank screen. Stretching, Lindsay got up from the couch and wandered into the kitchen to get herself a drink of water. After retrieving a glass from the cupboard and filling it with water from the tap, she stood at the sink and sipped, thinking back on their time in Montana. She smiled at the memories that she and her family had created together; Lucy riding her first pony, Danny and her mother flipping through her photo albums, Lucy and her father bonding over her teddy bear, dancing with Danny at her reunion. Then her smile turned into a smirk as she thought of the other not-so-family-friendly memories that she and Danny had created together; Danny pleasuring her with his mouth in her childhood bedroom, him fucking her hard in the barn, their first session together in a car, her giving him a blowjob in her parents front yard, and finally, their blissful lovemaking in front of the fire in the guesthouse.

As she finished her glass of water, Lindsay felt a familiar heat rising in the pit of her stomach. Setting her glass down in the sink she turned back to the living room and retrieved Lucy's baby monitor from the coffee table before checking that the front door was locked and turning off all the lights. She then headed to the bedroom she shared with her husband. Gently opening the door, she could hear Danny's steady breathing as he slept. She entered the room and stood there for a moment, just watching him sleep.

After their string of late nights and days filled with activities, Lindsay had needed a rest and so had slept for the majority of the flight home, as had Lucy. Danny, however, had not slept at all. Lindsay had been surprised to learn on the way to Montana that Danny was terrified of flying and was completely unable to relax at all during their flight. On the journey home, he had sat up, hands clenched tightly around his armrests and his jaw set tightly. She had tried a few tricks to get him to relax - massaging his shoulders, holding his hand, trying to distract him by talking - but nothing had worked. Lindsay had tried to stay awake with him, but sleep had quickly taken over and she had leaned against Danny's strong shoulder and had let herself drift off.

When they had arrived in New York, Lindsay had been cheerful and refreshed while Danny had been grumpy and exhausted. They had taken a cab back home from the airport and Danny had grumbled as he hauled their bags into the elevator, then down the hall to their apartment. Once inside, Lindsay had made dinner while Danny gave Lucy a bath. After her bath, they had enjoyed a quick supper of chicken and salad before Lucy had been put to bed. By this time, it was almost 9pm and Lindsay had decided to start getting unpacked. Danny had protested, saying that they could unpack tomorrow, but Lindsay had been insistent. She had been living out of a suitcase for the past four days, and she wanted to have everything back in its proper place before going to bed. Danny threw his arms in the air in frustration, but then he picked up their suitcase and headed into their bedroom to start sorting things out, while Lindsay began the arduous task of organizing Lucy's myriad of toys, blankets, clothes and other accessories.

She had been busy going between the living room and Lucy's bedroom for about fifteen minutes when she realized that it was unnaturally quiet in their bedroom. She had expected to hear Danny muttering to himself or possibly even slamming drawers as he put things away, so she had opened the door to see what was going on. What she found brought a smile to her face. Their suitcase was sitting in the middle of their bed - unopened - with Danny passed out face-down on the bed beside it. She stifled a laugh at the sight in front of her. Moving into the room, she heaved the heavy suitcase to the floor before trying to get Danny properly into bed, gently undressing him until he was down to just his boxers and pulling the blankets up around him. She looked lovingly down at him and stroked his hair, smiling as he sighed in his sleep and curled up on his side, pulling the covers tightly around him. Deciding that their unpacking could wait until the morning, Lindsay moved the suitcase to the corner of the room before turning off the overhead light and closing the door behind her.

That had been almost three hours ago. Danny was still sound asleep, curled up under the blankets. She watched the steady rise and fall of his form as he slept, the flutter of his eyelids as he dreamed. The urge to touch him was becoming almost unbearable, as was the heat that had been building up inside of her as she thought of all the wonderful ways they had loved each other over the past few days. Quietly she closed the door behind her, moving over to her side of the bed. Pulling off her clothes, she slid under the covers, feeling the smooth sheets as they moved over her naked body. She looked over at the other side of the bed; Danny was still asleep with his back to her. She wiggled toward the centre of the bed and reached out to softly run her fingers down Danny's exposed bicep. His muscles flexed involuntarily at her touch and he let out a soft sigh, but did not wake.

Gaining courage, Lindsay moved closer, pushing her body up against him so that her breasts were pressed against his warm, naked back. She rested her head on his pillow and breathed deeply, inhaling his scent. It smelled masculine - like his shampoo and aftershave, but not aggressively so. It was so uniquely Danny. Sometimes when their schedules were so hectic that they had only a few precious moments together in a day, she would take one of his shirts or lie on his pillow and think about him. It made it easier to pass the time without him, but it was a poor substitute for the real thing. Inching infinitely closer, she pressed her face against the back of his neck and took a long slow breath before placing a soft kiss to the area. At the same time, her hand snaked under the blanket and traced his muscular torso until her hand was resting on his flat stomach.

She continued to press kisses to the back of his neck while gently caressing his belly with her fingers. Getting no response from Danny, Lindsay moved her kisses from the back of his neck around to the side, gently sucking on the soft flesh just below his ear. Meanwhile, her fingers trailed slowly southward, slipping under the waistband of his boxers until her hand closed around his cock. At the touch of her fingers, she felt him twitch in her hand, but still he slept. So she began to slowly stroke him while she continued to press lapping kisses to his neck and jaw. As she felt him begin to harden in her grasp, she smiled as Danny released a soft sigh of contentment. She increased the pressure and speed of her strokes and nipped at his earlobe, taking it in her mouth and sucking lightly. As he hardened even more in her hand, Danny let out a low moan and she felt his body start to tense up as she continued her ministrations to his cock.

"Hey, baby," she whispered in his ear as he began to stir. "Time to wake up."

"Linds?" he asked sleepily, his hips bucking involuntarily into her hand. "Oh, my God, baby."

"Come on, Danny," she said, slowing down the pace of her strokes. "Wake up, honey."

"Why? Is it morning already?" he asked, his voice adorably gravelly with sleep.

She smiled and shook her head. "No baby, it's not morning."

Danny shifted slightly so that he could look up at her. He have her a slow, sleepy smile and blinked as his eyes adjusted to the light in the room coming from Lindsay's bedside lamp. "Not that I'm complaining about your wake up call," he mumbled, "But why am I waking up if it's not morning."

Lindsay leaned forward and pressed a soft but hungry kiss to his lips while gripping his hard cock in her hand and squeezing lightly. Danny moaned into her mouth before she pulled away and smirked down at him. "Because I want you baby," she purred. "And I couldn't wait until morning to feel you inside me again."

Danny's eyes flew wide open at her words and she felt his impossibly hard erection twitch in her hand. His mouth gaped open for a moment as he tried to search for a response. Finding none, he continued to stare, dumbfounded at his wife who was staring at him, her brown eyes dark and smouldering with desire.

"Cat got your tongue, baby?" she asked as she leaned down and began kissing his jawline with wet, open-mouthed kisses.

"Something like that," Danny managed to choke out.

"You shouldn't be so surprised," she said between kisses. "You're the sexiest man I've ever met, and it's not my fault that I find you irresistible." She smirked as he heard Danny swallow hard, then she continued. "I want you Danny," she breathed in his ear. "I want to ride you. I want to fuck you. I want your hard cock inside of me. Right now, cowboy."

"Shit," Danny said as he closed his eyes, letting his wife's words wash over him, along with the feeling of her hand which was still firmly attached to his aching cock. "You've got a way with words, babe," he said, opening his eyes and taking Lindsay's face in his hands. "You are so hot when you talk dirty, Montana," he said, his voice low and husky with desire. "Tell me more. What do you want to do?"

She bent forward and took his lower lip gently in her teeth, skimming her tongue along the sensitive skin before she crashed her mouth down onto his in a hungry and passionate kiss. He opened his lips to her immediately, allowing her access to explore his mouth fully. She moaned as she felt Danny's fingers skim down her bare back, his short fingernails leaving a burning trail down her spine until his hands came to her ass, which he grasped and squeezed, pulling her over so that she was lying fully on top of him, her legs tangled with his own, his erection pressed up against her belly. Her hands came up to his chest and she scratched her nails over his nipples, causing Danny's breath to hitch in his throat.

"Tell me what you want, baby," Danny panted after pulling away from their heated kiss.

"I want to make you come, baby," Lindsay said as she began to grind herself into his groin, causing him to let out a long, low moan.

"Oh, Montana, oh my God!" Danny exclaimed as Lindsay continued to gyrate herself on top of him while taking one of his nipples into her mouth.

"Mmmm," she hummed as she sucked on the sensitive skin, causing it to harden between her lips. Pulling her mouth away, she continued. "I want to feel your cock inside me, and your fingers on my pussy, baby. And then I want to make you scream. I'm so wet for you, Danny."

"Fuck me," Danny breathed, in utter disbelief and sheer ecstasy at the filthy words coming out of his wife's talented mouth.

Lindsay smirked at him before lowering her lips to his other nipple and repeating her previous actions.

"Shit!" Danny called out, "Oh fuck, Linds!"

Satisfied that he had suffered enough at her hands, Lindsay released Danny's now hardened nub from her lips and pressed herself up, her hands on his chest. She shifted her body so that she was straddling his waist, her warm, wet folds pressed against his belly.

"Can you feel me, baby," she purred at him as she rocked gently back and forth on his stomach.

"Oh, baby," he said as his hands found their way up to her hips. "You're so wet, Linds. Please, I need to be in you."

Lindsay smiled in triumph as Danny writhed beneath her impatiently. She wiggled backward, skimming her centre over his crotch which was now straining against the fabric of his boxers, so that she was hovering over his legs. She grabbed the waistband of his underwear and forcefully tugged them down to his knees so that his erection was fully exposed to her. She shimmied back up his body while Danny kicked his legs so that he was completely free of his boxers, and they dropped to the floor at the end of the bed.

She positioned herself so that she could feel the tip of his penis pressing against her centre. She looked at Danny who's eyes were locked on hers, the electric blue of his pupils now a deep and stormy colour, reflecting the lust that he had for her. Taking a deep breath, she plunged down onto him, both of them releasing moans of rapture as their bodies were finally joined.

"Shit! Oh, God, Danny!" Lindsay shouted. "You're so big, baby!"

"Fuck, Linds," Danny groaned at the same time. "Baby, your pussy is so tight."

Lindsay waited a moment to let her body adjust to Danny's width and length before she began to slowly rock back and forth on top of him. He met each of her movements with an upward thrust of his hips, driving himself into her as deep as he could.

"Oh, yes! Baby, oh, God. You're so deep! Fuck, Danny."

She felt Danny's fingers tighten their grip on her hips as she bounced on top of him, their pace increasing as they both sped toward their release.

"Oh, God, baby," Danny panted as he bucked his hips up into Lindsay again and again. "I love watching you ride me, baby. You're so fucking hot. I love seeing my cock inside of you."

"Danny, you feel so good, baby," Lindsay's voice was getting louder and her pitch getting higher as she got closer to her climax. "Oh, so good! Oh, Danny! Danny! Please, touch me, baby. Touch me, I'm so close!"

Following her instructions, Danny released one of his hands from her hips and inserted his index finger between her slick folds, searching for her clit. He began to rub his finger in circles around the tiny, pulsating bundle of nerves in time to their movements until he felt Lindsay's body tense. He looked up to see he throw her head back, her mouth open in a silent scream as the first waves of her orgasm overtook her.

She stopped moving and her fingernails dug into the skin of his chest. Danny continued to thrust with his hips and rub her clit with his finger until he felt her inner walls begin to tremble around his cock. Finally she found her voice as she was in the throws of her climax.

"Yes! Yes! Oh, God! Danny! Fuck, yes! Ooooh!" she shouted out to the room.

On hearing his wife satisfied so completely, Danny now needed his own release. He quickly flipped them over so that he was on top, reaching down and wrapping her legs around his waist he began to move, thrusting hard and deep, feeling her continue to contract around him as she rode out her orgasm. Panting, she took his face in her hands, caressing his cheeks gently. "Come on, Danny," she encouraged him. "Let go, honey. Come for me."

It took only a moment before he felt the coil of heat in his groin snap and he came hard, calling out to his wife.

"Oh, fuck, Lindsay! Oh baby! Fuck! Lindsay! Linds!"

Panting, Danny collapsed after his release, being careful to keep the majority of his weight on his arms. He lowered his head to the crook of Lindsay's neck, pressing a loving kiss there. He felt her hands close around his torso, and she began to stroke his back lightly before holding him to her in a tight embrace.

"Danny, that was amazing, baby," she whispered in his ear as he continued to pant into her shoulder.

"You're telling me," Danny breathed as he lifted himself slightly so that he could look down at his wife's face. "Wow. I mean... just... wow. Can we wake up like that everyday?" he said as he smirked down at her.

She ran her fingers through his hair, messing up his bed head so that it stuck up wildly all over his head. "I don't know if that would be such a good idea, babe," she said, smiling up at him. "After sex like that, I'm not exactly what you would call energetic. You wore me out!"

Danny raised his eyebrows at her. "I wore _you_ out?" he asked, incredulous. He chuckled as she nodded her head and her eyes began to droop slightly.

He pulled himself out of her, rolling over onto his back beside her. Reaching down, he tugged their blankets up around them and rolled onto his side, wrapping his arms around Lindsay, who was now dozing with a small, satisfied smile playing on the corners of her lips. He pressed a soft kiss to her temple before reaching over and switching off the light on her bedside table. He settled himself back down and Lindsay nuzzled into his chest.

"Love you, Dan," she sighed. Soon her breath was coming slowly and steadily, showing that she was already well on her way to sleep.

"Love you too, Linds," was his whispered reply. Danny closed his eyes and rested his head on his pillow. Soon, Lindsay's breathing became almost mesmerizing and he soon found himself drifting off into oblivion, back in his own bed, holding his wife in his arms.

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**Here you go. *Hands you a tissue* That's for wiping up your drool.**

**So?!?! What do we think? Was it hot enough for you? LOL. Seriously though, I figured it's been a whole three chapters since we had some smut so we were well overdue. I hope that makes up for it! Next chapter it's back to real life for the Messers. I promise to update as soon as possible! **

**Please leave me a review! Pretty pretty please? With Danny on top? (Sorry Laurzz! I had to steal this quote from you - it was too awesome!!!)**


	14. Breakfast Time

**A/N: Oh, my gosh!!! We're almost at 100 reviews here, and I am absolutely astounded at the response I've gotten from this story. Thank you all so very very much! The support and the positive feedback was once again absolutely amazing. And I can't believe you've all hung in for 14 chapters already! Wow!**

**And thank you for getting back to me about the p-word. I'm glad that no one was offended! **

**So, I feel that we are all in need of a little more Danny/Lucy time, and everyone seemed to want to see a bit more fluffiness, so that's what I offer you here. Please enjoy!!**

**Disclaimer: Once again, I own Tee Bah, but everyone else belongs to CBS. Stupid restraining order *grumble grumble* ;)**

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Danny Messer awoke to the sound of his daughter babbling happily away to herself over the baby monitor. He smiled and stretched as he listened to her sweet little voice. He looked over at the clock and saw that it was only 6:45, but he was wide awake now. Even after his nap earlier in the evening, he had slept well and was now ready to get up and face the day. Leaning over to turn off the baby monitor, a smirk graced his face as he remembered how Lindsay had woken him up for a little late-night lovemaking. He loved it when she took charge in the bedroom, and she had really taken him by surprise last night.

Even after almost four years together, she could still be very shy from time to time when it came to their sex life. Danny knew that it was a lack of confidence in herself, and he tried to make her see that he loved her, that he thought she was beautiful, and that he appreciated everything she did for him. And to be honest, she really had no reason to doubt herself - she was quite simply the best lover he'd ever had. Sex with Lindsay was on a whole other level from any other sexual experience he'd ever had because of the love that existed between them. He loved nothing more than to see her let go of her reservations and give herself over to him, and he was more than happy to do the same for her when she decided to take control, which was something that she was doing more and more these days. And something that he found incredibly sexy.

He sighed contentedly as he looked over at Lindsay's side of the bed where she was still sleeping peacefully. He kissed the tip of his finger and pressed it gently to her nose, smiling when she scrunched up her face before she relaxed back into sleep.

Throwing the blankets off of himself and being careful not to wake his wife, Danny got out of bed, pulling on a pair of sweats and a wifebeater before he made his way down the hall to Lucy's bedroom. He stood in the doorway for a moment, watching her chatter to her bear. He smiled at his little girl. She was growing up so fast. Too fast, in Danny's opinion. And although he loved seeing her reach those childhood milestones - crawling for the first time, her first word, taking her first steps - he couldn't help but feel that each milestone just brought her one step closer to growing up. A heaviness formed in his heart when he thought about the possibility that one day she wouldn't need her daddy anymore.

But that was years away, Danny told himself as he shook his head, opening her door fully and stepping into the room. "Hey Lucybear!" he whispered as he approached her crib.

"Dada!" Lucy squealed, dropping her bear and standing up, arms raised, ready to be picked up. "Dada, up! Up!"

"Lucy, shhh!" Danny said, putting his finger to his lips and smiling down at the little girl before bending and lifting her out of her crib, holding her to his chest. "Mommy's still sleeping, silly girl."

"Shh!" Lucy said, an impish grin on her face as she copied her father's action, pressing her little finger up against her lips.

Danny let out a soft chuckle, "You know kiddo," he said, "I can't help feeling that your making fun of your old man."

"O'd man," Lucy said before she reached out her little fingers and grabbed Danny's face, placing a wet kiss to his nose.

Danny smiled at his daughter as her fingers played with the soft stubble on his cheeks. "I guess I asked for that, didn't I Luce?"

Lucy smiled at her father, nodding her head in agreement, her blond curls bouncing around her chubby cheeks. "O'd man, Dada," she repeated, giggling when Danny jiggled her in his arms, tickling her tummy gently with his fingers, causing her to kick and squeal in glee.

Smiling and with his daughter still in his arms, Danny headed out of her bedroom and down the hall. Walking into the kitchen, he pulled out Lucy's high chair, settling her down and buckling her in before he started to get their morning routine going.

"Hey, you hungry Lucybear?" he asked.

"Ya! Hungwee, O'd Man!" Lucy said, pointing to her belly.

"Lucy," Danny said, leaning down so that his nose was pressed up against Lucy's and he was looking her right in the eyes, "My name is Daddy, okay?"

"T'ay," Lucy said quietly, hanging her head. "Sowee Dada."

"That's okay, sweetheart," Danny said, kissing her nose before he turned to start making breakfast. "So, I'll ask again? Are you hungry, Lucybear?"

"Hungwee p'ease Dada," Lucy said.

"Okay," Danny said, rubbing his hands together. "What's on the menu this morning? Pancakes? Waffles? Bacon and eggs?"

"'Nanas!" Lucy shouted, clapping her hands together. "P'ease Dada, 'nanas!"

"Okay, Luce," Danny said, grabbing a banana from the bunch on the counter. "One banana coming right up." He peeled the banana and cut it up into bite-sized pieces for Lucy before placing them on her favourite pink plate. Then he reached into the fridge, filling Lucy's bottle with apple juice. He tied her bib around her neck before placing her breakfast on the tray of her high chair, smiling as she dug in right away, grabbing a piece of banana in each hand and shoving them into her face at the same time.

"Nom nom!" she said with a full mouth, pieces of semi-chewed banana oozing from the

corners of her lips.

"Luce, come on," Danny said, gently wiping her face with a cloth. "Please don't talk with your mouth full. It's yucky."

"Yucky," Lucy repeated before smooshing more banana into her mouth.

"Exactly," Danny said, ruffling her hair before getting started on his and Lindsay's own breakfast. He got the coffee on and was contemplating what he should make for them when he felt a pair of warm hands wrap themselves around his waist from behind, and a soft pair of lips place a series of kisses to the back of his neck. He felt goose bumps begin to form all over his body as Lindsay's delicate fingers made their way under the fabric of his wifebeater, caressing the bare skin of his stomach, just above the waistband of his low-slung sweats.

"Morning, babe," he said, reaching down and placing his hands on top of her own, giving her fingers a gentle squeeze.

"Morning, cowboy," Lindsay replied, her voice still thick and raspy from sleep. He felt her squeeze him tighter in her arms, and she nuzzled her cheek into his back, just between his shoulder blades.

"Did we wake you up, honey?" Danny asked.

"No," Lindsay replied, her fingers moving back to rest on his hips as she pressed a series of fluttering kisses to his shoulder. "I woke up" - _kiss _- "because I was cold," - _kiss _- "and

lonely," - _kiss _- "in bed," - _kiss _- "all by myself."

Danny closed his eyes, letting the feeling of Lindsay's fingers and lips wash over him. "Hmm," he sighed, "Duty called. Lucy was hungry."

"Is she still hungry?" Lindsay asked, her voice muffled against the fabric of his wifebeater as she kissed her way back across his shoulder blades, making a beeline for his other shoulder.

Danny shivered at the husky tone in her voice. That and the fact that her fingers were delicately tracing the skin of his hips, just under the waist of his pants. He swallowed hard before responding. "No, she's not," he croaked out.

"Good," Lindsay said, her hand trailing down the front of Danny's pants, her fingers running down his cock. "Because I'm hungry right now. And I don't want food."

"Babe," Danny said, beginning to pant slightly at the feeling of his wife's fingers as they gently massaged him, making him harden. "Not that what you're doing doesn't feel _fantastic_, but there is a child in the room."

"Mmm," said Lindsay. "She's too busy with her breakfast to pay attention to anything that we're doing in here, baby."

"Shit, Montana," Danny said as Lindsay gripped him more firmly and began slow, languorous strokes.

"Shit 'Tana!" came a little voice from the kitchen table. Danny's and Lindsay's heads both snapped up, Lindsay peering at her daughter from around Danny's shoulder.

"Did she just say what I think she said?" Danny asked, his eyes wide.

"I think so," Lindsay said.

Danny sighed. "I should have been more careful," he said. "She's been repeating everything I say this morning. Haven't you Lucy?"

"Shit, 'Tana. O'd man!" Lucy said pointing at Danny, her mouth full of banana.

Lindsay stifled a giggle at her daughter's words. This was not something that they should encourage. She pulled her hand from the front of Danny's pants and went to the kitchen sink to wash her hands before joining Lucy at the table.

"Lucy, that's not a nice thing to say," she said sternly. "That's a bad word that Daddy used, and I don't want to hear you using it again, okay?"

"Hi mama! Yoo-see 'nana!" Lucy said, holding out a half-chewed piece of banana to her mother.

"Thank you, Lucy," Lindsay said, taking the offered piece of fruit and placing it on the table in front of her. "But you didn't answer Mommy's question. You can't use that bad word again, do you understand?"

"'Tana?" Lucy asked, cocking her head to one side, trying to decide if this was the forbidden word.

"No Lucy," Lindsay said, picking up the cloth from the tabletop and wiping the banana goop from Lucy's mouth. "The other word."

"Dada no o'd man," Lucy said, shaking her head sadly. Lindsay couldn't help the laugh that bubbled out of her.

"What's she talking about, Dan?" she asked.

"I referred to myself as her old man this morning, and suddenly that was my new name," Danny explained. "Although I thought that Lucy and I agreed that she wasn't going to use that name anymore, and that she knows she's to call me Daddy." He gave his daughter a meaningful look and in return she shot him a mischievous smile.

"No more o'd man," Lucy said, nodding her head seriously. "Yoo-see wuv Dada."

"Yeah, yeah. I know when I'm being played, Lucy," Danny said, ruffling her curls before moving to lean his back against the kitchen counter. "I love you too, kiddo."

"Shit!" Lucy smiled up at him.

"Lucy!" Lindsay scolded, biting her lip to keep from laughing at the look on Danny's face. "That is a bad word. And I do not want to hear you say that again."

Lucy looked innocently between her parents, then gave them an angelic smile. "T'ay Mama," she said, turning her attention back to the gloopy banana mess in front of her.

Lindsay stood up from the table and wrapped her arms around Danny, leaning up to kiss him on the lips. Pulling away, she grinned at him. "Guess this means you'll have to stop being such a potty mouth," she said.

"Oh yeah," replied Danny, rolling his eyes at her. "I'm the one with the potty mouth. I seem to remember a few choice words coming out of your mouth over the past few nights, _Montana_."

"Mmm," Lindsay said, nuzzling into Danny's neck. "What can I say? I'm a dirty girl. I think that maybe I need to be punished." She began lightly sucking on the skin of Danny's neck as he snaked his arms around her slim figure, pulling her close. She felt his still semi-hard erection pressing against her belly, and it made her insides flutter once again. "What time do you work today, baby?" she asked as she nipped on the hollow at the base of his throat, her fingers once again finding their way under the fabric of his shirt.

"I go in at noon. You?" he said, his breath ragged as Lindsay continued her assault on his senses with her mouth and fingers.

"Same," she said. "And I'm still hungry, cowboy. And I know exactly what I want." With that, she slid one hand beneath the fabric of his pants, grabbing his firm ass.

"I think that can be arranged," Danny said, running his hands up and down Lindsay's back. "Just go back to bed, and I'll get Lucy cleaned up and put her back in her crib."

"Don't keep me waiting, cowboy," Lindsay purred. "I would hate to have to get started without you." She gave his ass a final squeeze before untangling herself from him and heading into the bedroom.

"Okay, Luce," Danny said as he picked up the cloth and gave her hands and face a final wipe down. "You ready to go play in your room for a little while?"

"Tee-bah!" Lucy giggled excitedly, clapping her hands as Danny removed her bib and picked her up from her high chair.

"Yeah, that's right," Danny said. "You can play with your teddy bear."

He entered Lucy's room, placing her back in her crib after checking her diaper. Satisfied that she was dry, he made sure that she had her bear and her blanky before he headed down the hall to the master bedroom where his wife was waiting for him.

Opening the door, he peaked in. Lindsay was lying on the bed, her head propped up on her pillows and she toyed coyly with the hem of her pyjama top. "Hey, what took you so long?"

"Well, I felt kind of bad about putting Lucy back to bed," he said, "So I just had to make sure she was okay before I came in."

Lindsay grinned at him. "You're such a good daddy," she said. She crooked her finger at him, indicating that she wanted him to come closer. "Come here and let me show you how much I appreciate everything you do for Lucy and me."

Not needing a second invitation, Danny quickly crossed the room and crawled up the bed, hovering over Lindsay, his legs straddling her own. "Did I ever tell you that you're the sexiest daddy I've ever seen?" Lindsay asked as she leaned forward and kissed him.

"Watching you with Lucy is so amazing, baby. You're so good with her," she continued, her fingers reaching for the hem of his wifebeater and tugging on it until he raised his arms and she was able to pull it over his head.

"You're not so bad yourself, Linds," Danny said, leaning down to gently nip at the soft skin beneath her ear.

"What's that expression that they use, baby? DILF - Daddy I'd Like to Fuck? That's you all over baby," Lindsay purred in his ear.

"Fuck me, that's hot," Danny panted, moving so that his lips met Lindsay's in a heated and hungry kiss. His hands began to roam up her body, and he was about to hook his fingers into the straps of her tank top so that he could get access to her breasts when their make-out session was interrupted by the shrill ringing of the phone.

"Shit," Lindsay said as Danny pulled away. "Don't answer it babe, it's probably just a wrong number." Grabbing Danny's face in her hands she pulled him back down to her, as the phone continued to blare at them.

"It could be Mac, babe," he said. "He knows we're back."

Lindsay released a frustrated sigh as she let go of Danny's face so he could lean over and pick up the cordless phone on his bedside table.

"Messer," he said into the phone. Placing his hand over the mouthpiece of the phone, he looked at Lindsay. _It's Mac_, he mouthed to her before removing his hand. "Uh huh... yup... yeah, yeah.... uh huh.... okay, Mac. I'll see you there... okay. Bye." He pressed the button to end the call and threw the phone down on the bed before turning to his wife. "Sorry, babe," he said. "Playtime's over for now. Mac needs me at a scene. He said for you to come in at noon as planned."

Lindsay scowled up at him crossing her arms across her chest. "You just had to answer it, didn't you?"

"Babe," Danny smiled back at her, "You know how persistent he is. If we hadn't answered the phone, he would have called first my cell, then yours. And then he would have sent Flack over to drag my sorry ass down to the scene." He gently stroked her cheek with the backs of his fingers. "Come on, you're not really mad at me are you?"

Lindsay couldn't help but smile at his concern that he had done something wrong. She knew that she was being unreasonable, and that being called in at inconvenient times was part of the job. "No, Dan. I'm not mad at you," she said, interlacing her own fingers with his and kissing the back of his hand. "It's just that I got so used to having you all to myself over the past few days, not having to share you with anyone but Lucy. And I was just hoping for one more morning of that before we're back to our regular schedule where I only get to see you for half an hour a day."

"I know, baby," he said. "Listen, maybe we can talk to Mac about our schedules. We can let him know that we need to make things more regular for Lucy, which is true. She needs to have a routine. But it will also help us. Because the past few days have made me realize what a small amount of time we actually get to spend with one another these days. I mean, we see each other at work, but that's different. And at the thought of going back to having opposing schedules and all that, well I find myself missing you already." He blushed as the words left his lips. "Does that sound corny?"

Lindsay wiped away the tear that had slipped down her cheek and shook her head. "It doesn't sound corny at all baby. I miss you when you're not here. Maybe we can do that together, later today."

"Okay. It's a date," Danny said, pressing a kiss to the tip of Lindsay's nose before moving off of her and heading to the bathroom for a shower before he left for work.

"Hey Dan?" Lindsay called out after him as she heard the water running in the bathroom.

"Yeah?" he called back, poking his head around the bathroom door.

"What do you want for breakfast?" she asked.

He smiled at her, "Whatever you want baby," he said before winking at her and disappearing back into the bathroom.

Lindsay sighed. All she wanted was for him to come back to bed. But she got up and headed to the kitchen to start making pancakes anyway.

**

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**

Hmmm. So this chapter turned out very different from what I had originally intended! It was going to be a lot less smutty and have a lot more to do with work. Apparently the muse is looking for excuses to drag this story on a little longer... which is fine by me!!!

**Please let me know what you thought of this chapter - I'm really curious to get your feedback!**


	15. Souvenirs

**A/N: Hi! Me again. I know it's been a few days since I last updated, and I'm sorry it's taken me a while. I was away for a few days (once again without internet *shakes fist in anger*) but I'm back now, and I have a new update for you all! Yay!**

**Thank you all so much for your reviews of Chapter 14! I had a good chuckle from your comments - who doesn't love it when little kids swear? I mean, come on! You can never get them to say what you want them to say, but they'll repeat a naughty word over and over again at the most inappropriate times ;) I'm glad you liked it!**

**I won't bore you with more comments from me. I hope you enjoy Chapter 15, and yes there is more on the way. PLUS as a bonus, I'm also working on starting another story, which is much more angsty, and I hope it will be up soon, so look out for it!**

**Disclaimer: Once again, Tee-Bah is mine. Mr. Bruckheimer and CBS own the rest of them. I'm not sure if John and Dana belong to me, though. I think they do. I mean, I know that on the show Lindsay has parents, but these guys are mine right? Please? Can't I at least keep them?**

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Lindsay sighed as she finished loading the last of the dishes into the dishwasher. Danny had just left for work and she now had four hours to kill before her own shift started. She looked around the now tidy kitchen with a sense of satisfaction. She closed the dishwasher and walked over to where Lucy was sitting in her high chair and removed her bib before picking her up and kissing her on her chubby little cheek.

"So, Lucy, what should we do now that Daddy's gone to work?" she asked the little girl.

"Dada?" Lucy asked, looking over Lindsay's shoulder for her father. "Yoo-see p'ay Dada?"

"No, sweetie," Lindsay said as she walked through the living room. "Daddy's gone to work. He can't play with you right now."

"No p'ay Dada?" Lucy asked, her bottom lip beginning to quiver. "Want Dada! Mama, p'ease Dada!"

"Oh Lucy," Lindsay said as she pushed a blond curl from her daughter's forehead. "Don't be sad. Daddy will be home later to play with you, okay?"

Lucy looked up at her mother, her blue eyes filling with tears. "Want Dada p'ay Yoo-see p'ease! Mama, p'ease!"

Lindsay's heart broke as she watched as a series of fat crocodile tears began to creep down Lucy's cheek. She gently wiped them away with the tips of her fingers, pulling Lucy to her and cuddling her to her chest. "It's okay, honey. You got used to having your Daddy around all day to play with you, didn't you?"

Lucy sniffled pitifully as she nodded her head, inserting her thumb into her mouth and beginning to suck as her fingers curled into the front of Lindsay's tank top.

"How about we go play in Mommy and Daddy's room? Hey?" She bounced Lucy in her arms, trying to cheer her up. "Come on, you can help Mommy unpack!"

"T'ay," Lucy said, sighing heavily.

"That's my girl," she said. She made her way over to the hall closet where they kept Lucy's folding playpen, pulling it into the bedroom with her. She set Lucy on the bed for a moment while she unfolded it, setting it up in the corner of the room. She placed her daughter in the playpen and then walked down the hall to Lucy's room to get her bear and her blanket along with a few other toys.

"What do you want to play with?" she asked Lucy as she re-entered the master bedroom. "Do you want your bear or do you want Lolly?"

Lucy carefully examined the offered toys, then turned her nose up at Lolly, her little pink doll, reaching instead for her much-loved and well worn bear.

"Tee-Bah!" she said, taking the bear in her arms and kissing his nose before hugging the bear to her. As Lucy began to chat with her bear, Lindsay placed the rest of the toys in the playpen. She then turned her attention to the suitcase still sitting in the far corner of the room. Mentally she cursed Danny for falling asleep before he got a chance to unpack for them. But she really couldn't stay mad at him for long - he had been just too adorable last night. And the fun she'd had waking him up was well worth having to unpack the case herself this morning.

Smiling to herself she heaved the heavy suitcase up onto the bed and unzipped it. As she lifted the top and flipped it open, her heart almost stopped in her chest. At first she thought that they must have grabbed the wrong bag at the airport, because she didn't recognize the item sitting on top of their belongings.

She picked it up and examined it carefully, a wide smile breaking out across her face. She picked up the cordless phone from where Danny had previously discarded it on their bed before he'd had his shower, and dialled his familiar number.

"Messer," he answered after a few rings.

"Hey babe, it's me," Lindsay said.

"Hey honey," Danny replied, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "What's up? Did you miss me already?"

"Well, I didn't," Lindsay teased, "But Lucy here wants you to come home and play with her."

"I wish I could be there too. I'm freezing my ass off out here," Danny said. "I'd much rather be home with you guys. Give her a kiss for me, okay?"

"I will. But Danny?"

"Yeah, Linds?"

"Did you... did you take any souvenirs from my parent's house?" she asked, fingering the item she'd found in their suitcase.

"Did I take any what?" Danny asked, his voice full of confusion. "What do you mean? What kind of souvenir?"

"Well, I was unpacking our suitcase and I found something that I don't think belongs to us. And I was just wondering if it was something that you took to remember our time in Montana together?"

"_What_?" Danny asked. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you sure it's our suitcase?"

"Yeah, Dan," Lindsay said. "I'm sure. All our stuff is here, so it's definitely ours."

"What is it that you found, Linds?" Danny asked.

"It's... um... well, it's my dad's old cowboy hat."

Lindsay listened for a reaction from Danny but the other end of the line was quiet.

"Danny?" Lindsay asked. "Babe, are you there?"

"What? Yeah, I'm here," Danny said. "I'm just... I didn't take that hat Linds, I swear. I'm way to afraid of your dad to do something like that!"

"Well then how did it get in here?" Lindsay asked. "I certainly didn't take it, and if I didn't put it in here, and neither did you, then..." Lindsay's sentence trailed off as the possibilities spun through her mind. "I think I have to call my mom," she laughed.

"Yeah, good idea," said Danny. "And if your dad answers the phone, make it _really _clear that I had nothing to do with taking his hat, okay? Because I have no doubt that he would not hesitate to get on the next flight out here and skin me alive if he thought that I had anything to do with it..."

"Oh, Danny, stop it!" Lindsay laughed. "He likes you, he really does. You worry too much."

"Yeah, right. Whatever you say, Linds," Danny replied. "Listen, Mac's giving me the evil eye here, so I better get back to work. I'll see you soon, honey. Tell Lucy I love her and give her a kiss for me, okay?"

"I will. I love you Dan."

"Love you too, Linds," Danny said before he ended the call. Lindsay stared down at the phone in her hands, a grin spreading across her face. She quickly dialled her parent's number in Montana, listening as the phone rang. She knew that even with the time difference, her parents would already be up. The phone was answered after only two rings.

"Good morning, Monroe residence. Dana speaking," her mother's voice came over the receiver.

"Hi Mom, it's me," Lindsay said.

"Oh, sweetie!" Dana exclaimed, "I'm so glad to hear from you! Did you have a good flight? What time did you get home? How are you this morning? Did you have a good sleep?"

"Mom! Mom!" Lindsay laughed at the barrage of questions from her mother. "Mom! Stop with the third degree!"

"Sorry, sweetie," Dana laughed over the phone line. "You know me, I just have to have all the information right away!"

"I know mom," Lindsay giggled. "And yes we had a good flight. Lucy and I slept, but Danny hates flying so he had kind of a crappy flight. When we got home he was really grumpy and fell asleep when he was supposed to be unpacking."

"Oh, poor Danny!" Dana sympathised. "I hope you let him sleep and didn't make him get up and finish unpacking."

Lindsay found herself blushing. She hadn't made him unpack, but she had _definitely _not let him sleep.

"Lindsay? Are you there?"

"Yes, sorry mom," Lindsay answered sheepishly. "I'm here. I was just thinking about something."

"Hmm, I'm sure you were," Dana replied, and Lindsay could practically hear her mother winking at her over the phone. "So, was it nice to be together with Danny in your own bed last night?"

"Yeah, it was really nice to be back... wait, what did you say?" Lindsay asked.

"Hmm? Oh, I just asked if it was nice to sleep in your own bed last night," said Dana innocently.

"Mom, that's not what you asked," said Lindsay.

"Of course it is, don't be silly," Dana said. She then quickly changed the subject. "So what are you doing today? Do you guys have to go back to work?"

Lindsay decided to let her mother's question go for now, smiling at the masterful way Dana Monroe could manipulate a conversation if you weren't very quick on your toes. "Yes, Danny got called in early, and I go in at noon. Right now Lucy and I are just finishing unpacking."

"Oh good," said Dana.

"Yeah, that's actually why I called you Mom," said Lindsay.

"Hmm? What is, sweetie?"

"Well, when I was unpacking I found... _something_... that doesn't really belong to us in our bag, and neither Danny nor I put it there... so we were just wondering if either you or Dad..."

"Are you talking about the cowboy hat?" Dana asked, a mischievous tone in her voice. "Well, I just thought that it might inspire you two to get going on that second grandbaby for me."

"_Mom_!" Lindsay exclaimed.

"What? Oh, come on Lindsay," Dana said playfully. "Since when has a little fantasy ever hurt anyone? And besides your father hasn't actually worn that hat in years. I bought him a new one a long time ago and that one has been just sitting in the closet collecting dust. I figured that it might be put to better use with you and Danny."

"Oh my God, Mom! You're terrible!" Lindsay couldn't decide whether to be shocked or horrified at her mother's antics. "For your information, Danny I don't need any inspiration when it comes to... that."

"Oh Lindsay! What are you? Ten? You can say _sex _in front of your mother. I'm not a prude!"

"Mom!"

"What? Don't you guys like a little roll-playing?"

"Mom, I am not having this conversation with you," Lindsay said, blushing furiously, but finding herself smiling in spite of herself at her mother's train of thought, which was not too far off the mark. She and Danny definitely got into the roll-playing, and Lindsay was hoping that she'd have a chance to see Danny in the cowboy hat again before long.

"Oh, don't be such a stick in the mud, Lindsay," her mother scolded playfully.

"Okay, Mom. This conversation is officially over. I love you," said Lindsay. "Give Daddy a hug for me, okay?"

"I love you too, Lindsay," Dana said. "Oh, and your father wants to talk to you for a moment, too."

"Oh, my God, Mom! Was Dad in the room the whole time?"

"No, sweetie," said Dana, chuckling. "He just came in from the yard. Here, he wants to say hello."

Lindsay heard the phone being passed to her father. "Hi Pumpkin," John Monroe's gruff voice came over the line.

"Hi Daddy," said Lindsay, smiling at her father's childhood nickname for her.

"Um... I just wanted to know if you liked the present I put in your suitcase for you?"

"The... the what?" Lindsay stammered, looking down at the cowboy hat in her hands. "_You _put this in our bag? But I thought Mom..."

Lindsay could hear her mother in the background on the other end, explaining that she'd given Danny and Lindsay his old cowboy hat.

"_What_!" her father bellowed into the phone. "Sorry, Pumpkin. Just a second," and with that Lindsay could hear him cover the receiver with his hand. She listened to the muffled argument between her parents with a sly smile on her face.

"Well, _you _weren't using it, John," Dana pointed out.

"That's not the point, Dana! It was _my _hat!" John grumbled.

"You have a perfectly good hat that you wear everyday. You're just being unreasonable now.""What the hell difference does that make? I don't go giving away your things just because you aren't using them at the moment. What are they going to do with a cowboy hat anyways?"

Lindsay blushed a bright pink as she listened to her mother explain her theory that it would "_inspire_" them to make another baby. She listened for further comment from her father, but there was silence on the other end of the line for a moment. Finally her father came back on the line sounding a bit flustered.

"Oh, Lindsay. You still there?"

"I'm here Dad. You okay?" she asked. "You know if you really want it back, we can send the hat back to you."

"No, no, no," said John. "I... I don't want it back now. You just... "

"You enjoy that hat, Lindsay," her mother bellowed in the background. "Get lots of use out of it!"

"_Dana_! Sorry, Pumpkin," John said. "Anyways, I just wanted to know if you got the other present that I put in your suitcase. If... if you don't like it I can always get you something else."

"Um, just let me have a quick look, here Dad," Lindsay said, setting the hat down on the dresser and sitting on the edge of the bed beside the suitcase. "I've only just started unpacking, so I haven't had a chance to look through everything yet. Where did you put it?"

"I just slipped it into the outside pocket."

"Okay, just let me look," Lindsay said, cradling the phone between her shoulder and her ear so that she could unzip the outer pocket more easily. "Okay, got it."

Lindsay pulled out a small package wrapped in brown paper and tied with string. She carefully untied the string and opened the wrapping to find small box. Lifting the lid from the box, she pushed aside the tissue paper and as she saw what was inside, tears began to well up in her eyes. "Oh, Daddy," she said, her voice choking up with emotion. "It's... it's so beautiful. Thank you so, so much!"

"You like it, Pumpkin?" John asked, and she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"I love it," Lindsay said quietly, wiping at the tears that were falling down her cheeks with the back of her hand. She blinked and then looked down once again at the contents of the box. Staring up at her was a beautifully framed photograph of herself and Danny, curled up in each other's arms, sound asleep on her parent's couch. Danny's face was buried in her neck, his features completely relaxed and so boyish and handsome in sleep. Lindsay examined her own face in the picture. She looked so content and happy, sleeping safely in the strong arms of her husband.

"When did you take this, Dad?" she managed to ask.

"The afternoon of the reunion," John answered. "We came home from our grocery shopping and found the two of you sleeping like that, and I just couldn't resist. It was so sweet, and it made me so happy to see you so peaceful, Pumpkin. Are you sure you like it?"

"I'm _so _sure, Daddy," Lindsay said. "Thank you so much. I can't wait to show Danny. I know he'll love it too."

"I hope so," said John.

"I _know _so," said Lindsay. "Thank you again, Daddy. It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you like it, Lindsay," John said. "Well, I've got to get back to work. I love you, Pumpkin. Say hi to Danny and Lucy for me."

"I will, Daddy. I love you too."

"And Lindsay?"

"Yes, Daddy?"

"You tell that boy of yours that I wouldn't let just _anybody _keep that hat."

"I know, Dad," Lindsay said, smiling. "And he was worried that you didn't like him."

"Whatever gave him that idea?" John asked, a chuckle rumbling in his deep voice.

"No idea, Dad. None at all."

"Love you, Pumpkin."

"Love you too, Dad. Say goodbye to Mom for me."

"Will do. Bye now."

Lindsay pressed the button to end the call and gazed once again at the picture she held in her hand. She smiled as she traced Danny's face with her finger, before following the lines of his arms as they intermingled with her own. 15 years ago, she had sat on that same couch, night after night, alone and miserable. How perfect was it that now, so many years later, she had lain on that couch, happier than she could have ever hoped to be?

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Lindsay placed the picture lovingly on the dresser beside the cowboy hat and turned her attention back to the suitcase still laying unpacked on her bed.

**

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So? What did we think? I hope you liked it. I know, no smut and barely even any teasing. But hopefully there was a little fluff in there for you. And plus, you got to see (hear? I'm not sure!) John and Dana again! Please let me know!


	16. Souvenirs Part 2

**A/N: Aw, thank you all once again for your reviews! I just loved reading them, and I'm so glad you liked the chapter! I thought you might like to see John and Dana again... I just had this gut instinct - that and the fact that everyone asked me to bring them back again! ;) See, I do listen to you!**

**So, anyways, I thought we should see a little peak of Danny's first morning back at work. It's a short chapter, but there will be more to follow. I hope you're feeling up to a little Danny/Flack time!**

**Disclaimer: I can't think of any more witty ways to say that they're not mine. So I will just say "please refer to previous chapters". :)**

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It was freezing cold out. Even though it was late April, Danny could see his breath as he exhaled in the early morning air. He pulled his leather jacket a little tighter around him with one hand, the other tightly gripping his kit. He sighed. He thought about his warm bed, and the warm, soft body of his wife. And he thought about all the things that they could be doing together in that bed. Shaking his head, Danny brought his thoughts back to the present. He had been called in by Mac to do his job, and he couldn't risk having his mind wander.

Walking up to the crime scene, Danny lifted the yellow tape and bent to go under it. Straightening up, he walked over to where Don Flack was standing.

"Hey Don," Danny greeted his friend.

Turning, Flack smiled as he saw Danny approaching him. "Hey, there he is. The prodigal son returns! How does it feel to be back in the big city after the quiet of the country life?"

Danny grinned. "It feels good," he said. "Actually, I really liked Montana a lot more than I thought I would. Lindsay even took me to see a wheatfield and it was really beautiful."

"Oh yeah?" Flack raised his eyebrows at his best friend. "What's so beautiful about it? It's just wheat."

Danny couldn't help the laugh that escaped him. He smiled and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "You sound exactly like me four years ago, man," he said. "But just try finding something more beautiful than a wheatfield in the moonlight with the woman you love... ain't nothing better than that."

Flack looked at Danny before raising his arm and pressing the back of his hand against Danny's forehead. "What the fuck are you doing, Flack?" Danny said, pushing his hand away.

"Just checking. I wanted to see if you had a fever or something, because that was not something that the Danny Messer that _I _know would ever say."

"Shut up, you asshole," Danny grinned at his friend.

"I'm just pulling your chain, Danno," Flack said. "I'm glad you had a good time, and I'm even more glad that you're back. We missed you guys around here."

"Thanks, man," Danny said before turning to survey the scene in front of him. "So what do we have here?"

Flack quickly filled Danny in on the case. A man had been attacked in a back alley. It appeared to be a robbery as his wallet, watch and cell phone were all missing. Danny nodded as Flack explained the facts to him. Then he bent down, opened his case and pulled out a pair of latex gloves, snapping them onto his hands. He then took a few supplies from his kit and moved over to where the victim lay, covered by a sheet. He began moving deftly around the crime scene, stopping to examine potential evidence, taking samples and snapping pictures as he went.

Completely focused on his work, Danny didn't notice that Mac had arrived on the scene until the familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey Danny. Good to have you back," Mac said, smiling down at him.

Placing the swab he held in his hand back into the evidence bag and sealing it, Danny stood and smiled back at hi boss. "Hi Mac. Thanks. It's good to see you too," said Danny as he placed his supplies carefully back in his kit, closing it and pulling off his gloves. He shoved them into his pocket for disposal later back at the lab.

Together the three men walked back towards their vehicles, away from the body lying in the alley. As they were about to duck under the crime scene tape, Danny felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Pulling it out, he didn't even check to see who was calling. He simply flipped open his phone and pressed the button to answer. "Messer," he said as he put the phone to his ear.

"Hey babe, it's me," said the familiar voice of his wife.

"Hi honey," Danny said, a smile spreading across his face at the sound of the voice he loved so much. Faintly in the background, he could hear Lucy talking to one of her toys - most likely her treasured bear. "What's up? Did you miss me already?" he asked cheekily as he crouched to go under the yellow tape that Flack was holding up for him.

"Well, I didn't. But Lucy here wants you to come home and play with her."

Danny's heart melted a little at the thought of his daughter. After the luxury of spending as much time as he wanted with her over the past few days, he was finding it hard to be away from her already. "I wish I could be there too," he said as he walked back to his vehicle. "I'm freezing my ass off out here. I'd much rather be home with you guys. Give her a kiss for me, okay?"

"I will. But Danny?"

"Yeah, Linds?" Danny asked absently as he opened the trunk of his truck and tucked his kit away inside.

"Did you... did you take any souvenirs from my parent's house?" The tone of Lindsay's voice was a little unnerving. Danny couldn't begin to fathom what kind of souvenir she thought he might have taken.

"Did I take any what? What do you mean? What kind of souvenir?"

"Well, I was unpacking our suitcase and I found something that I don't think belongs to us. And I was just wondering if it was something that you took to remember our time in Montana together?"

"_What_?" Danny's mind raced. What could she possibly be talking about? He thought back to packing the suitcase for them back in Montana. He didn't remember grabbing anything that didn't belong to them. Had he accidentally taken something from her parent's house? Were they mad at him? Another possibility came to mind. What if they'd grabbed the wrong suitcase from the luggage carousel at the airport. It was a generic black bag, and it wasn't as if it was highly distinguishable from others of the same size and colour. "What the hell are you talking about? Are you sure it's our suitcase?"

"Yeah, Dan," Lindsay replied. "I'm sure. All our stuff is here, so it's definitely ours."

"What is it that you found, Linds?" Danny asked warily, leaning his back against the driver side door of the truck.

"It's... um... well, it's my dad's old cowboy hat."

Danny's jaw dropped open and the arm holding the phone to his ear went slack and fell to his side. Lindsay's... father's... cowboy... hat... Shit. He was so dead. He had no idea how the hat had gotten in their suitcase, but he was damn sure he hadn't put it there. He heard Lindsay's voice faintly over the phone and he quickly pulled it back to his ear.

"Danny? Babe, are you there?"

"What? Yeah, I'm here," Danny said, his heart racing. "I'm just... I didn't take that hat Linds, I swear. I'm way to afraid of your dad to do something like that!" Danny's mind raced, trying to think of how the hat could have possibly gotten mixed up in their luggage. He was so sure they had left it downstairs with their blankets after their tryst in the barn.

"Well then how did it get in here?" Lindsay asked. Danny sighed as he could hear the exasperation in her voice. "I certainly didn't take it, and if I didn't put it in here, and neither did you, then..." Lindsay went silent for a moment. Just as Danny was about to speak, her voice came back over the line. "I think I have to call my mom," she laughed.

"Yeah, good idea," said Danny. He smiled in spite of himself. He really liked his mother-in-law. She was cheeky and funny and bright, and clearly where Lindsay had gotten her sparkplug sense of humour from. Putting the hat in their luggage was definitely something that he wouldn't put past Dana Monroe. "And if your dad answers the phone, make it _really _clear that I had nothing to do with taking his hat, okay? Because I have no doubt that he would not hesitate to get on the next flight out here and skin me alive if he thought that I had anything to do with it..."

"Oh, Danny, stop it!" he heard Lindsay laugh. "He likes you, he really does. You worry too much."

"Yeah, right. Whatever you say, Linds," Danny replied, his voice full of doubt. If John liked him so much, Danny felt that he had a very strange way of showing it. Looking up, Danny noticed that Mac was staring at him, pointing to his watch to indicate that he wanted Danny to get the evidence back to the lab. "Listen, Mac's giving me the evil eye here, so I better get back to work. I'll see you soon, honey. Tell Lucy I love her and give her a kiss for me, okay?"

"I will. I love you Dan."

"Love you too, Linds," Danny said before snapping his phone closed, ending the call.

Danny shoved his phone back in his pocket and looked up at Flack who had wandered over to him during the conversation and was now leaning against the truck beside Danny. "What?" he asked Flack, who had a bemused expression on his face.

"Nothing," Flack said, shrugging his shoulders. "Just wondering how come you're so bent out of shape over a hat."

"I'm not bent out of shape, Flack," Danny said as he pushed himself off the side of the vehicle and moved to open the door. "Its just, Lindsay found it in our luggage and thought I had taken it as some kind of memento or something."

"Why? What's so special about a hat? And why would her dad care if you guys _did _take it? Is it a magical hat? Does it make all your dreams come true so you can live happily ever after?"

Glaring at his friend as he got in the car, Danny slammed the door shut behind him and buckled his seatbelt before rolling down the window. "You're such an asshole, man," he said as he started the truck, the engine rumbling to life. Flack grinned back at him and wiggled his eyebrows.

"I'm going to find out, you know," he said. "There's something you're not telling me here, Danno. And I will not rest until I find out what it is."

Danny sighed and shook his head in exasperation. "Hey buddy, why don't you try putting those masterful detective skills of yours to a more useful pursuit... like catching the bad guys?"

"When there's fun to be had tormenting you?" said Flack with a chuckle as he shook his head. "It's a good thing I can multitask, because I have a sneaking suspicion that I've stumbled on a gold mine of potential humiliation for you. And that is something that I just can't pass up."

"Get back to work, you clown," said Danny as he rolled his window back up and put the truck in gear, heading back downtown towards the crime lab.

**

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So? Did we enjoy seeing the scene from Danny's perspective? And how was it seeing Flack? I had a harder time with this chapter because I've gotten lazy with this story - just writing for DL and Lucy, and a few of my own characters, that I couldn't quite get the interaction between Flack and Danny right for a while.

**Big shout out to Brinchen86 for taking a sneak peek at this chapter and putting my fears to rest!**

**More to come!**


	17. Reconnecting

**A/N: I know, I know. You probably all thought that I had abandoned this lovely, fluffy, romantic story for my other angstier story. Well, the muse decided that I need to learn to multi-task better ;) So today brings you another dose of High School Daze!**

**Danny and Lindsay are both back at work and they have some catching up to do with their friends. Also, someone from earlier in the story makes an encore appearance - sort of!**

**Okay, I'll stop babbling now. Enjoy!**

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"Hey, kiddo! How was Montana?"

Lindsay smiled at her friend as she entered the break room. "It was fantastic, thanks Stell!" Lindsay replied, walking over to Stella and giving her a warm hug.

"We were all wondering how you guys were doing and how the country life was treating you. I think Flack was a little worried that you might try to convince Danny to stay," she winked at Lindsay before releasing her from their embrace and sitting back down to finish her cup of coffee.

"He was that bad, huh?" Lindsay asked, reaching for her own cup. She smiled as she pulled down the _World's Best Mom _mug that Danny and Lucy had gotten her for her first Mother's Day.

"Oh God, he was awful. I definitely appreciate your husband a lot more. I honestly don't know how he puts up with Flack all day. Without Danny around to keep him entertained, he spent all his free time here, pestering us."

Lindsay laughed as she joined Stella at the table. She still had a few minutes to catch up before her shift officially started. "Well, I'll pass the message along for you, Stell," she said, smiling over the edge of her cup.

"Please do. I was tempted to go out and commit murder, just so that he would have something to do and would stop dropping by to plague us all with his cheesy one-liners," Stella winked at Lindsay before setting down her cup. "Seriously, though. You guys had a good time?"

Lindsay nodded her head. "Yeah. Yeah, it was really nice to see my folks again."

"And did Danny behave himself with the in-laws?" Stella asked.

"He charmed the pants off my mother, of course" Lindsay said, smiling. "She had him calling her Mom by the end of the first day. She adores him, thinks he's my prince charming. And she wants us to, as she put it - _get busy - _so that she can have, like, a million more grandbabies."

"And your dad?" Stella asked as she took another sip of her coffee.

"Oh, my dad," Lindsay said, rolling her eyes at Stella. "Danny's terrified of him, thinks that he hates him for stealing away his little girl. But I know my dad. He's enjoying his role as Danny's tormentor, but only because he likes him so much."

"Danny's afraid of your dad?" Stella asked, incredulous. "I've seen that man leap across an alleyway from one building to another, take down armed suspects twice his size, and give a heavy dose of Staten Island attitude to some of the most powerful people in the city, and he's afraid of _your dad_?"

Lindsay giggled into her cup. "My dad can be a scary guy when he wants to be," she said. "Danny told me that one night he came downstairs and my dad was cleaning his gun at the kitchen table, giving Dan the evil eye the whole time."

Stella burst out laughing at the thought, covering her mouth to keep the coffee she had just swallowed from making a re-appearance. "Oh, my God! I wish I could have been there to see the look on his face!"

Lindsay smiled at her friend. "But I know that they are both just so happy that I'm finally happy. It felt good to be back there, Stella. Despite all the demons that I thought I was going to have to face, Danny was right when he told me that I'm a different person now than I was back then. I'm stronger, and when I needed to breakdown, he was there to catch me."

Stella reached across the table and laid her hand over Lindsay's. "I'm glad for you, kiddo. For both of you. And for little Lucy. Mac showed me the picture you sent of her riding the pony with Danny," Stella gushed. "How adorable is your little girl, huh?"

"Yeah, she's alright. I guess I'll keep her," Lindsay deadpanned as her friend swatted at her hand. "I think it was really good for her to meet her grandparents. Of course they fawned over her the whole time we were there, and she had them eating out of her hand within minutes."

"Of course she did," Stella replied. "She's got the gift, Lindsay. She's got everyone of us wrapped around her little finger."

Lindsay smiled and nodded. It didn't escape Stella's notice that her friend's smile got even wider as a familiar voice drifted down the hallway.

"There's nothing to tell, Flack. It's just a hat."

"Bull."

"You know, Flack, Sigmund Freud said that sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. Maybe you should apply that theory to this situation. Sometimes a hat is just a hat."

As the last words were out of his mouth, Danny rounded the corner and walked through the break room door, his best friend on his heels.

"Me thinks thou dost protest too much," said Flack as he pulled out a chair at the table where Lindsay and Stella were sitting. "Hey Linds. Stell."

The room had gone silent as Lindsay, Danny and Stella all stood, staring at Flack. "What?"

"Did you... just quote Shakespeare?" Lindsay asked tentatively.

"Oh, so no one bats an eye when Messer here quotes Freud," said Flack, throwing his arms in the air, "But because I didn't get a fancy-pants university degree, I can't have a little appreciation for the bard?"

"Appreciate the bard all you want, Flack," Danny said, taking two empty coffee cups from the shelf and filling them with the hot liquid. "That's my story, and I'm sticking to it."

Danny sat down, handing one cup to Flack before he leaned in towards Lindsay, throwing one arm over the back of her chair and pulling her toward him. "Hey," he said as he leaned in for a soft kiss.

"Hey, yourself," Lindsay said, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink as she pulled her lips from his. "I missed you this morning," she whispered to him as he gently caressed her shoulder with the arm that was slung over the back of her chair. She felt her insides melt just a little as he gave her a lopsided grin, obviously thinking back to their near encounter earlier that morning.

"I missed you too," he said as he placed a soft kiss to her cheek before turning back to his coffee. He let out a chuckle as he took in the two disparate expressions on his friend's faces. Stella was looking between himself and Lindsay wistfully as she let out a soft sigh. Meanwhile, Flack looked like he was about to vomit.

"Hey, you wanna keep that kissy-face business to a minimum there, _Messers_," he said, jabbing an accusing finger at them. "I'm trying to keep my breakfast down over here."

"Sorry, Don," Lindsay said, grinning at him. "We'll try to be more sympathetic to your sensitive stomach."

Stella let out a peel of laughter as she watched Flack frown while Danny smirked at Lindsay's comment. "Yeah, well you better," said Flack as he stood up to rinse out his now empty coffee cup. "Because if you're not nice to me, I'm going to have to find out what the hell all this hat business is about. And when I do, I'm pretty sure I'm not going to be able to keep it to myself." He looked pointedly at Danny, who shrugged nonchalantly.

"Whatever, Don," he said. "We've got nothing to hide. Like I said. A hat is a hat. Dig away my friend."

Flack looked back and forth between husband and wife. Danny looked like he was playing it too cool, while Lindsay was blushing and squirming uncomfortably, trying hard not to meet his gaze. "I'm going to find out," he said with finality. Then, with a smirk on his face, he gave the group at the table a salute and turned, walking briskly from the room.

Lindsay hazarded a quick glance over at Stella, taking in her confused expression before she looked over at Danny, who gave her a conspiratorial wink.

"What's all this about a hat?" Stella asked, finally unable to contain her curiosity any longer.

"Hmm?" Danny asked. "Oh, nothing. He overheard part of my conversation with Linds this morning. She was telling me that her mom had sent us and old cowboy hat of her dad's as kind of... a joke."

Stella raised her eyebrows at the pair in front of her. "That's it?" she said. "So what's the big deal?"

Danny smiled, shaking his head while Lindsay let out a giggle. "No idea, Stell," said Danny. He downed the last of his coffee and pushed himself up from the table, stroking the back of Lindsay's head as he did so. "Ladies," he said to the two women in front of him, "Always a pleasure. But I gotta get back to work. Good to see you, Stell. Bye babe." He nodded at Stella and planted a kiss on the top of Lindsay's head before he winked at them both and walked out of the room, whistling as he went.

Lindsay checked her watch, deciding that it was time for her to get to work as well. She stood and collected her cup from the table, taking it to the sink to rinse it out. When she turned back to the table, Stella was giving her a knowing look. "What?" she asked, suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious.

"You guys are adorable, you know that right?" Stella asked.

Lindsay felt her face get warm as her cheeks flushed a deep pink. "Oh please," she said as she began to walk across the room. Stella quickly caught up with her and walked beside her down the hallway.

"Oh, come on," she said, elbowing Lindsay in the ribs. "You know you are." When her words got no response from Lindsay, she continued. "I'm really happy for you both, and I'm glad you got to spend some time away to just be with each other. I know this job doesn't always allow us to lead normal lives, and I just wanted to let you know that I am so proud of how far you guys have come. And how impressed I am at how effortless you both make this whole marriage thing appear."

Lindsay stopped in front of the office she shared with Danny, looking down at her feet. "Thanks, Stell," she whispered as she peeked up at her friend.

"No problem, kiddo," Stella said, laying a hand on Lindsay's shoulder and giving her a reassuring squeeze. "And I'm so glad that you're both back. I know I was joking around earlier, but we really did miss you guys."

Giving Lindsay's shoulder one more quick press with her fingers, Stella turned and walked away, her curly hair bouncing in time with her steps.

Lindsay stood in the hall for a moment, listening to the familiar sounds of the lab. She realized that she had missed it here, and after only a few days. Seeing Montana, her friends and family again had been great, but being back here was like coming home. Smiling she turned and opened her office door. Settling in to her chair, she leaned down to boot up her computer.

As she waited, she reached into her handbag and pulled out the picture her father hand sent. Smiling down at it, she once again ran her finger along the outline of Danny's face. Then she leaned over and placed the picture on his desk so that he would be sure to see it the next time he sat down to his computer.

Hearing the familiar beep that told her that her computer was fully loaded and ready to go, she clicked on the icon that opened her email. She knew that after even one day away she had about half an hour of emails to catch up on; updates from cases, new policies and procedures for the lab, and assorted other information from Mac. So she was not surprised to see over 100 emails that needed her attention after five days away. She sighed as she began to skim down the list.

"Boring, boring, boring, boring..." she droned as she deleted the extraneous emails from her inbox. She paused with her mouse poised over a particular message that caused a huge smile to form on her face.

_To: Lindsay Messer_

_From: Susie Hayes_

_Subject: Miss Ya Already, Cowgirl!_

_Hey Lindsay!_

_Made it back to Denver in one piece, and my holy terrors seemed happy to see me (but I'm sure that will fade as soon as I try to make them take a bath or eat their vegetables). I just wanted to tell you how good it was to see you again, and to prove that I meant what I said about keeping in touch._

_So, just checking in, seeing how you, your beautiful daughter and that gorgeous man of yours are doing. Any luck with the cloning yet? _

_Oh, and good news. First day back at work, and the School Superintendent tells me that he's sending me and a few other teachers from our district out to New York in two weeks to attend a conference... So, hopefully you're not sick of me by then, and we can maybe have a drink or dinner and see a show? Oh, please, please can we see a show? _

_Okay, that's enough from me for now. Hope your first day back is going well. Let me know if it will work out when I'm in the city. I'll send you the dates when I know more._

_Take care, Linds_

_Susie_

Lindsay let out a squeal of delight as she reread her friend's letter.

"Hey, Montana. You do know that only dogs can hear you when you do that?" Danny said as he entered their office, a file folder in one hand.

"Danny, oh guess what! Oh you'll never guess!" Lindsay said, bouncing with excitement in her seat.

"Whoa, babe," Danny chuckled, placing the file on Lindsay's desk before leaning his hands on the arms of her chair and bending down to place his face inches from hers. "I'm the only reason you should ever be that excited. You got it?"

Lindsay gave his chest a playful shove and he stumbled backward. "Oh, ouch!" he said, laying his hand on his heart.

"I'm not _that _kind of excited, Danny," she said as she looped her index fingers through his belt loops, pulling him back toward her. "And you know that I never get excited like that for anyone but you, Messer," she whispered before reaching around and lightly smacking his butt.

"Yeah, yeah," Danny said, smiling down at his wife as he moved around behind her chair so that he could rest his hands on her shoulders, "So what was all that noise about then?"

"Well, you'll never guess, so I'll just tell you," Lindsay said.

Danny laid his hand on Lindsay's forehead, tilting her head gently back to look at him. He gave her an expectant look. "This is me waiting for you to tell me," he said before he kissed the tip of her nose. She crinkled up her nose and grinned at him.

"Susie's coming to New York in a few weeks!" she said excitedly.

"Really? Susie from the reunion?" Danny asked. Lindsay nodded her head animatedly. "That's great, Linds! She seemed really nice. I'm glad you got to catch up with her. You gonna show her around? Play tour guide?"

"Yeah. She's not sure of the exact dates yet, but when she knows, she'll pass them on to me and we can start making plans!"

Danny looked up at the screen where the email was still displayed and started to read. As he read about Susie's genuine desire to stay in touch, he had to smile. He had really hoped that his wife would take some good memories from the reunion, but he hadn't dared to hope that she would reconnect with someone as positive as Susie seemed to be. She obviously valued her friendship with Lindsay very much, even after several years apart, and he hoped that now that they had reconnected, they would maintain their friendship.

As his eyes skimmed over the rest of the message, he smiled at the mention of their daughter. Then his eyes bugged out of his head at the next sentence. "What's this about cloning, Montana?" he asked, looking down at his wife.

"Oh shit!" she said as she hurriedly closed the email. "I don't think Susie meant for you to see that part." She looked up at Danny who was giving her a smug grin. "Wipe that look off your face right this minute, Messer."

"What look?" Danny said innocently.

"The look that says _I'm hot, and I know it_," Lindsay replied. "Your ego is big enough as it is, mister."

Danny laughed as he caressed her shoulders gently before moving over to his own desk and sitting down in his chair. "My ego could use a bit of encouragement after the beating it's taken from your dad these past few days," he said as he turned to his computer, bending down to push the power button.

"Oh, will you cut it out!" Lindsay said, rolling her eyes at him dramatically. "How many times do I have to tell you that he likes you before you'll believe me?"

Danny looked thoughtful for a moment before replying. "Five hundred and six more times," he said, giving her a playful wink. He reached over and took the file he had brought into the office with him off of Lindsay's desk and laid it on his own. As he did so, his attention was caught by the light reflected off of the framed picture that was propped up against his monitor.

Lindsay felt butterflies rise up in her stomach as she watched Danny carefully pick up the framed picture and hold it in his hands, examining it closely. She saw a flurry of emotions pass over his face.

"Linds? Where did this come from?" he asked softly, not taking his eyes off of the tender image before him.

Lindsay wheeled her chair over beside him and slipped her arm across his back, resting her head on his shoulder. "That man who supposedly hates you so much? He took it, had it framed, and sent it home with us as a surprise."

She watched Danny carefully out of the corner of her eye. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips. His hand slipped up to his face and he discreetly wiped his eyes, trying not to reveal how truly touched he was by the gesture. He cleared his throat before he spoke.

"Your dad... he took this?"

"Yeah," she said reaching out and stroking his cheek. "You okay?"

"Fine. Yeah, I'm fine," he said gruffly. "I just... it's so beautiful, baby. You're so beautiful. Look how peaceful you look." He turned his head so that he could look at her and gave her a crooked smile.

"Danny Messer, you're a big softie!"

"You tell Flack and they'll never find your body, Montana," he replied. He placed the picture back down on his desk and turned to cup her face in his hands. "Love you, Linds."

She smiled as he softly stroked her cheeks with the pads of his thumbs. She leaned forward and placed a kiss to his lips. "Love you too, Dan," she said. "And your secret is safe with me."

**

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**

Hee hee. Okay, so I got a bit carried away with the fluff. Bit of a fluff overload for this chapter... but I was feeling a bit down today and the fluff makes me happy.

**Surprise! Susie will be making an encore appearance! So, do we like? Are we happy? Do we want to see more? I hope so, because like it or not, I've got more story to tell here!**

**Please leave me a review. I would love to know what you thought of their first day back at work. Do we want to see more of the team, or are we happy with just more DL and DLL? **


	18. The Game

**A/N: Thank you all so much! Wow. I can't believe the reviews that came in for the last chapter! I had such fun writing their first day back at work, and I'm glad that you enjoyed reading it! **

**So, now by popular demand, we have some quality Danny/Lindsay/Lucy time, with a little Flack thrown in, just for fun! **

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

Danny closed the oven after checking on the chicken he was roasting. It was almost done, and the smell of his mother's never-fail recipe for roast chicken was wafting through the entire apartment. He quickly lifted the lid off of the potatoes, seeing that they still needed a few minutes, before he turned to smile at his daughter who was currently entertaining herself in her playpen.

Thanks to his early-morning call from Mac, Danny had gotten off work a few hours earlier than expected. After their first day back to work following their trip to Montana, he thought it would be nice to use the extra time to make a nice dinner for his family. With their hectic schedules, they didn't get to eat together every night, and he knew that his roast chicken was a favourite of Lindsay's. He had hoped that it might put her in the mood to continue where they had left off that morning.

"Hey, Lucybear," he said as he wiped his hands and flung the kitchen towel down on the counter. "Let's get you all cleaned up for dinner, okay? Mommy will be home soon, and she's gonna be hungry."

Lucy grinned up at her father, raising her little arms in the air so that he could pick her up. He placed a kiss to her cheek and then gently rubbed his own stubbled cheek against hers.

She giggled and squirmed in his arms, and he smiled as he carried her to the bathroom to wash her hands and face. He sat her on the counter and reached for her washcloth, wetting it and lathering it up before gently using it to wipe down her sticky fingers and face.

"Lucy, what did you get into at Nona's this afternoon?" Danny asked, laughing as Lucy closed her eyes and tried to wiggle away from the washcloth.

"Dada, no! Yoo-see all done!" she wailed as Danny carefully scrubbed each of her chubby fingers.

"Lucy, did Nona give you chocolate?" Danny asked, peering down at his little girl. She gave him a mischievous little grin before shaking her head, her blond curls bouncing around her face.

"Chuklit!" she giggled.

Figuring that he had done all that he could do to get Lucy clean for now, Danny rinsed out the washcloth and rang it out before hanging it on the hook beside the bathroom mirror. He turned to his daughter and rested his hands on the countertop on either side of her.

"I'm gonna have to have a talk with your Nona," he said, pressing a kiss to the top of Lucy's head. "We can't have you coming home all sticky and hopped up on sugar, now can we?"

"Chuklit! Dada, Yoo-see want chuklit p'ease!" Lucy squealed, clapping her hands.

Danny rolled his eyes before picking his daughter up from the counter. Resting her on his hip, he made his way out into the living room. As he was about to place Lucy into her high chair, he heard the distinctive sound of Lindsay's key in the lock.

He looked down at Lucy, pressing his finger to his lips and Lucy giggled silently to herself, copying her father's actions, her chubby finger over her lips.

"Should we surprise Mommy?" Danny whispered to Lucy.

"Ya! 'Prise Mama!" Lucy bellowed, nodding her head enthusiastically.

"And now I'm deaf," Danny chuckled to himself, a slight ringing in his ears after Lucy's outburst.

"Hey guys, I'm home!" Lindsay called out into the apartment. As she placed her keys in the dish by the door she heard a familiar giggle coming from the kitchen. A smile split her face as she shrugged off her jacket. "Hey, guess who followed me home?" she shouted out into the apartment. "I think we'll keep him!"

"Who? Dada, who?" she heard Lucy's little voice.

"Shh, Luce," Danny whispered loudly. "Remember we're surprising Mommy?"

"Mama, we 'prisin' you!"

Smiling, Lindsay turned to Flack who she had invited home for dinner at the last minute. He had been on his way out the door at the same time as her, and when she'd asked what his plans were for the evening, he'd said he was going home to watch the game by himself. She had told Flack that he would do no such thing, sent Danny a text message telling him to expect one more for dinner, and grabbed Flack's arm, dragging him down the street toward the subway, informing him that he was not allowed to turn down her invitation.

"Sounds like you're about to be ambushed," Flack said giving Lindsay a wink.

She grinned back at him before turning back into the apartment. "Gee, Don, it looks like we're all by ourselves here," she said loudly. "I have no idea where Danny and Lucy could be."

She caught Flack's eye and they exchanged conspiratorial smirks at the sound of Lucy's tinkling giggle.

"Wait, what was that?" Flack said, "That sounded like my favourite little girl, but it couldn't be. She's not here!"

Again, a giggle sounded through the apartment.

"Lucy, is that you? Are you and Daddy hiding on Mommy?"

"No!" came Lucy's little voice.

"Shh!" Danny shushed his daughter.

Lindsay kicked off her shoes and dropped her bag on the floor, looking up just in time to see her daughter come toddling around the corner from the kitchen, her arms outstretched, a wild giggle escaping from her as Danny chased her into the living room.

"Mama!" Lucy squealed as she flung herself into Lindsay's waiting arms.

"Oh, there's my beautiful girl!" Lindsay said, picking her up and holding her tightly, peppering her cheeks with kisses.

"Mama! 'Prise!"

"Oh, I'm so surprised!" Lindsay chuckled as Lucy clapped her little hands together in glee.

"Hey, babe," Danny said as he walked up to his wife and daughter, leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to Lindsay's waiting lips. "Hey Don," he said, clapping his friend on the shoulder, smiling as he moved to head back to the kitchen.

"Whoa, Danno. Where's my kiss?" Flack said, looking hurt. Danny stopped in his tracks, turning back to look at his friend.

"Yeah, you can kiss my ass, Flack," Danny said. Smirking he turned back to the kitchen to finish getting dinner ready.

"Ass Fwak!" Lucy squealed in Lindsay's arms.

"Thanks a lot, Dan," Lindsay said, rolling her eyes and handing a squirming Lucy over to Flack. She heard Danny laughing from the kitchen.

"Sorry, babe," he chuckled.

"Don, you mind entertaining Luce for a few minutes while I help Danny get dinner on the table?" she asked.

Flack shook his head, jiggling Lucy in his arms and smiling at the peals of laughter that erupted from the little girl. "Nah, no problem," he said.

"Thanks," she said, kissing Lucy's cheek before giving Flack a smile. "Oh, and watch what you say around her. She's repeating everything right now, as you can see."

"We promise to be on our best behaviour, don't we Lucy?" he said as he walked over to the couch and sat down with Lucy on his lap.

"No!" Lucy giggled as she reached out and grabbed Flack's tie, shoving it into her mouth.

"Lucy, no! Don't..." Lindsay began.

"Ah, don't worry about it, Linds," Flack said. "Go see if Dan needs any help." Lindsay gave him a smile before she turned to walk into the kitchen. "Oh, and Mrs. Messer, don't think that I don't know that _help Danny get dinner on the table _is code for _make-out in the kitchen while I'm watching your daughter_."

He smiled down at Lucy as he listened to Lindsay sputter in protest. "Yeah, they are so going to make out in the kitchen, aren't they Luce?" he said.

"Yup!" Lucy said before shoving his tie back into her mouth.

* * *

"Oh, Danny, that was so good, honey. Thank you!" Lindsay said, leaning over to press a kiss to Danny's cheek as she stood up to clear the table.

"Glad you liked it, babe," Danny smiled as he leaned back in his chair.

"Oh, I ate too much!" Flack groaned, rubbing his stomach. "That was good, Dan. Where'd you learn to cook like that? I can barely boil water."

"Yeah, I know, I've had your cooking before," Danny laughed, sipping his beer. "My mom wouldn't let me move out of the house until I learned at least a few recipes. She was worried that I'd starve if I had to survive on Kraft Dinner and Mr. Noodles."

"Wow. When I moved out, my mom just handed me all the take-out menus from her kitchen drawer and wished me luck."

Danny laughed at his friend. "Yeah, well. It comes in handy. I think Linds only married me to get her hands on my mom's lasagne recipe."

"It's true!" Lindsay called out from the kitchen.

Still laughing, Flack and Danny got up from the table, Danny stopping to pick Lucy up from her high chair, her head lolling drowsily as her sugar high was finally starting to wear out. "Hey, just hang out here for a minute while I get Lucy to bed, alright?" Danny said, cradling his daughter in his arms. "Make yourself at home. Remote for the TV is on the coffee table."

"Thanks man," Flack said, watching his friend head off down the hall. "You need a hand in there, Lindsay?" he asked, poking his head into the kitchen to find her up to her elbows in dishwater.

"Hmm? Oh, no, Don," she said, smiling at him. "Just have a seat, I'll only be a minute. Danny usually cleans while he cooks, so there's really not a lot to do."

"Okay, if you're sure," Flack said. Lindsay nodded her head, assuring him that she was fine, so he made his way to the living room, sitting down in the armchair and reaching for the remote. As he clicked on the TV, he let his eyes wander around the room. The place had changed a lot in the time it had gone from Danny's bachelor apartment to the Messer's family home. He could still see some of Danny's familiar photos and mementos on the shelves, but these were now joined by pictures of his wife and child, and some Lucy Messer original artworks were lovingly taped to the wall.

Don smiled. He really couldn't be happier for his friends. They had both been through so much, and he couldn't think of a better pair. And although he enjoyed making a stink about their public displays of affection, they knew he wasn't serious. They were so comfortable with one another, and anyone could see just by looking at them that they were crazy about one another. But they were subtle about it, never shoving their relationship in other people's faces, and really only letting a select few people into their family's safe little nest.

Flack continued to cast his gaze around the room. He sat up as his eyes fell upon something he had never seen here before, something that screamed to him that it just didn't belong. Lying on a table by the window sat an old, beat-up cowboy hat. Setting down the remote, he peeked around the corner. Seeing that Lindsay was still engrossed in the after-dinner clean up, he snuck over to where the hat lay, picking it up and turning it over in his hands. On the inside of the hat was a hand-written label that had been stitched into the lining that read _Property of __John Monroe_. A smirk spread across Flack's face as he realized that he now held in his hands _the _hat The hat he'd been harassing Danny about all day. Hearing the sound of Lucy's bedroom door closing, Flack dropped the hat back into its place and quickly settled himself back into the armchair, assuming his previous position - beer in one hand, remote in the other - as he continued to click through the channels.

"The game on yet?" Danny asked as he picked up his beer from the dining room table before walking over and dropping down onto the couch.

"It's gonna start in a few minutes," Flack said, finding the right channel and placing the remote back on the coffee table.

"Hey Linds!" Danny called out.

"Yeah?" Lindsay's voice carried from the kitchen.

"Game's on in a few. You want a hand?"

"Um... you could come and put the dishes away while I finishe drying them."

Danny grinned at Flack, setting his beer down on a coaster on the table. "Back in a sec," he said, getting up and disappearing into the kitchen.

Flack sat where he was for a minute, listening to the sounds of his friend's domestic bliss coming from the kitchen before he leaned forward and picked up Danny's cell phone from the table. Flipping it open, he scrolled through his contact list until he came to the M's. Finding _Monroe, John & Dana_, Flack pulled out his own phone and typed in the number he found there, saving it in his address book before resetting Danny's phone back to the home screen and placing it back on the table.

He smiled to himself. He was _so _going to get to the bottom of this.

* * *

"Danny, you're supposed to be helping me," Lindsay whispered.

"I am helping you," Danny breathed into her neck as his arms wrapped around her waist from behind. "Can't you tell?"

"Hmm," Lindsay said, leaning back against Danny's chest and closing her eyes as she felt his warm lips work the sensitive area just below her ear. "I feel something, but it's not really something I would consider helpful in the kitchen."

"We'll see about that," Danny growled in her ear, slowly grinding his hips against hers as his hands slipped under the fabric of her shirt, drawing little circles on her warm belly with his fingers.

"Babe, come on, the game's gonna start soon, and Flack's in the next room," Lindsay protested, but the feeling of Danny's hands and mouth on her was slowly overriding her better judgement.

"Alright, have it your way, Montana," Danny said, pulling back from her. She gasped at the sudden removal of his warmth from her body and turned to look at him. He kissed the tip of her nose and smirked at her. "Let's just see if you can resist me until the game is over," he said before drawing her to him in a passionate but all too short kiss. Lindsay whimpered softly as he pulled away again, turning to pick up the last of the dishes and placing them in the cupboard. Then he looked at her over his shoulder and gave her a wink before he walked out into the living room.

Lindsay leaned back against the kitchen counter, her heart pounding in her ears and her cheeks flushed. Closing her eyes, she could still feel the ghosts of Danny's fingers on her stomach. Opening her eyes she shook her head. She turned on the tap and splashed some cold water on her face before she hung up the dishtowel and followed her husband into the living room.

He wanted to play that game? Then she was going to play too, and she was going to win.

**

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**

Hee hee. So? I hope that this chapter fulfilled your collective need for DLL, and I couldn't resist letting Flack poke his nose in!

**Please leave me a review and let me know what you thought. More to come... we will pick up where this chapter left off...**


	19. The Game Part 2

**A/N: So, I was totally going to write something on Wednesday, figuring it would be a good way to pass the time before the Finale... but every time I sat down, I got all nervous and I couldn't concentrate. So, my apologies for keeping you waiting for an update for this one! You know it was for a good cause - an episode full of DLL fluffy lovey goodness AND angst? Someone pinch me... ;)**

**So, where were we? Oh yes, Flack's over, their watching the game on TV... and the Messers are engaged in a little game of their own... :D**

**Enjoy!**

_

* * *

_

She was driving him insane. Abso-fucking-lutely insane.

After leaving Lindsay panting in the kitchen, Danny had sauntered into the living room, a smirk on his face. He flopped onto the couch, picking up his beer and taking a long draught as he propped his feet up on the coffee table, satisfied that right now his wife was standing in the kitchen trying to regain her composure, breathless after their heated kiss.

This didn't go unnoticed by Flack, who raised his eyebrows at his friend's expression.

"What you so smug about, Danno?"

"Nothing," Danny replied, grinning as he took a swig of his beer.

"Riiiight," Flack said, rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to the game just as Lindsay came in from the kitchen. Danny moved so that she could sit next to him, snuggled into his side, as was their usual position when watching TV together at night. But Lindsay surprised him when she moved to the far end of the couch and sat as far away from him as possible, while still sharing the same piece of furniture.

Danny cocked his head to the side, wondering what Lindsay was up to. She didn't keep him waiting for long. As Danny tried to keep his attention on the game, he couldn't help but flick his eyes back to his wife every few seconds. She was sitting with her beer in one hand, her other hand delicately caressing the neck of the bottle. He watched as her strokes started out slow, but eventually they increased in pace until finally Lindsay lifted the bottle, wrapping her lips around the mouth before tipping her head back and swallowing a mouthful of the amber liquid.

Watching his wife, Danny swallowed hard. His eyes widened as Lindsay licked her lips, closing her eyes and letting out a soft sigh as she used the back of her hand to wipe her mouth. Then she turned to him and gave him a grin.

"What?" she asked, batting her eyelashes at him innocently.

Danny's mouth moved, but no sound came out. He coughed to clear his throat, giving his head a slight shake. "Nothing... just... I think I need another beer," he said quickly, standing up and heading for the kitchen.

"I'll have another one, if you're offering," Flack said, not taking his eyes off the game.

Danny nodded his head, then slipped into the kitchen, opening the fridge and letting the cold air rush over his suddenly overheated body. He knew that she was trying to beat him at his own game, but she wasn't playing fair. He closed his eyes, trying to clear his thoughts, but all he saw were images of his wife using those same delicate fingers, repeating those same motions, but instead of a bottle of beer, it was him that she was stroking and sucking.

"Baby? You okay?" Lindsay called out from the living room, snapping him from his reverie. He blushed as he realized that he had been standing there with the fridge door open for several minutes now, without getting any actual relief from the semi hard-on he now had.

"Yeah. Fine," he said, reaching forward and grabbing three bottles of beer from the fridge before kicking it shut with his foot. He grabbed the bottle opener from the drawer and made his way back into the living room, a plan for getting back at Lindsay forming in his mind.

* * *

Lindsay looked up as Danny re-entered the room, his face slightly flushed, with three bottles of beer clutched in his hands. He set them down on the table, flicking the lids off with the bottle opener before handing one to Flack, who accepted it with a look of confusion on his face.

"Took you long enough," he said. "You okay? You look a little flushed."

Lindsay let out a little snicker, which she tried to conceal as a cough, but failed miserably, both men in the room turning to stare at her.

Flack narrowed his eyes and looked back and forth between husband and wife, clearly sensing that something was going on between them, but not entirely certain what it was. Lindsay watched as Flack turned his attention back to the game, his eyes fixed on the screen.

Lindsay cast her gaze down to the end of the couch where Danny was still sitting. She knew that he was just dying to get her back, to make her squirm the way that she had done to him, using her trick with the beer bottle. She smirked to herself. It had worked so much better than she'd expected. Watching Danny's eyes get wider and wider as he realized what she was doing, until she was sure that his they were about to pop out of his head, had been priceless. And now the ball was in his court, so Lindsay sat back and waited to see what he would do. She waited.

And waited.

By the end of the second period, Lindsay was dying. Danny hadn't so much as looked at her, so absorbed was he in the game. Lindsay turned to the TV and huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. She definitely needed to rethink her game plan.

"Something wrong, babe?" Danny asked, giving her a casual glance.

"I think I want to make some dessert," Lindsay said, standing up. "Dan, you want to come help me in the kitchen?" she asked, smiling at him coyly.

"Nah, I'm good. I don't really feel like dessert, thanks," Danny said.

Lindsay's mouth gaped open. She had figured that Danny would have leapt at the chance to get her alone, tease her like he'd done earlier. She just wanted to feel his hands on her again, feel his lips moving against her throat as his hands slipped down...

"What are you making, Linds?" Flack's voice brought her back to the present. She looked down at him, her expression questioning.

"Hmm? What?" she asked.

"You said you were making dessert. What are you making?" Flack asked again.

"Oh... um, I... I don't know, Don," Lindsay stammered. "Uh... ice cream?"

"You need help in the kitchen to get _ice cream_?" Flack asked, incredulous. "Now, I'm no Iron Chef, but even I can get ice cream all by myself. You just scoop and serve."

Lindsay sighed and glanced down at Danny who was trying to hide the grin on his face with his hand. But she could see the twinkle in his eye that told her that she'd just been had. He knew exactly what he was doing, pretending to be disinterested. Playing hard to get.

Lindsay let out an exasperated sigh before she stomped off to the kitchen. She heaved open the freezer and pulled out the carton of ice cream, taking two dishes from the cupboard and placing a heaping scoop in each bowl. As she licked the excess ice cream from the scoop, a semi-melted drop fell and landed on the kitchen counter. Reaching for a cloth to wipe it up, a wonderful idea sprang into her mind. Replacing the cloth and grabbing two spoons, Lindsay hummed to herself as she went back out to resume the game.

* * *

When Lindsay came back in the room, Danny watched as she handed a bowl of ice cream to Flack. She set her bowl down on the coffee table then started to unbutton the cardigan she had worn to work that day, pulling the fabric from her shoulders until she was sitting there in her pale pink tank top. Then she reached forward and grabbed her ice cream, settling herself on the couch, sitting closer this time, her leg brushing up against his own.

She caught him looking at her, and he raised his eyebrows. "What?" she asked. "I was getting too hot," she said.

"Okay," Danny said, turning his attention back to the TV just in time for the third period to begin. He focused his attention on the screen, but was soon unable to stop himself from sneaking a quick peek at Lindsay, who had yet to take a bite of her ice cream. Instead, she was stirring the contents of the bowl, slowly letting them dissolve into a pool of creamy goo.

Finally, she raised the spoon, bringing a mouthful up to her lips. As the spoon moved from the bowl to her mouth, a droplet fell from the spoon and landed on her chest, just below her collar bone. Danny watched as the goo quickly turned to a runny liquid upon coming into contact with her warm skin, and it began to trickle slowly downward toward her cleavage.

Danny's breath caught in his throat as Lindsay brought her hand up, using her finger to slowly swipe up the stream of melted ice cream before it could go too deeply into the front of her shirt. When she was satisfied that she had caught most of the sticky liquid, she brought her finger to her mouth, closing her lips around her delicate finger before she sucked away the melted ice cream, letting out a soft moan. Then she turned to him, her finger still caught between her lips and gave him a flirty little wink.

She was driving him insane. Abso-fucking-lutely insane.

* * *

It was the longest game of Danny's life. Lindsay continued to torture him. First with her ice cream, then she had moved on to other tactics such as stretching so that a strip of her bare belly was exposed between the fabric of her top and her pants, or twisting a stray tendril of her hair between her fingers. The third period seemed to drag on forever, but finally the buzzer sounded, signalling that the game was over.

"Aw, shit," Flack muttered. "Fucking Rangers. I mean you're ahead going into the third period, you expect them to come out on top, you know?" he said, turning to Danny.

"Yeah. Fucking Rangers," Danny agreed absently, trying to keep his mind from going any further into the gutter than it already had. He shook his head, then flashed his friend a smirk. "It was a good game though."

"Yeah, it was," Flack yawned, standing up and stretching. He looked at his watch then bent to pick up his coat that he had draped over the back of the armchair. "I gotta go. Got the early shift tomorrow morning," he said as he slipped his arms into the sleeves of his coat. "Thanks for dinner, guys. Say bye to Lucy for me, okay?"

Lindsay smiled as she stood. "We will, Don," she said as she leaned in and turned her head so that he could kiss her cheek.

"See ya later, man," Danny said, clapping his friend on the back as he walked him to the door.

"Catch ya tomorrow," Flack said as he opened the door. Danny held the door open as Flack walked out into the hallway. As Danny was about to close the door behind him, Flack turned around and yelled back into the apartment. "Oh, and by the way. That hat - is it new? You know, I think it adds a little bit of country to the place," he said, nodding toward the cowboy hat still sitting on the table by the window.

"Oh, will you shut up about that fucking thing already?" Danny said, laughing at Flack's perseverance.

"It's only a matter of time, Danno," Flack said, grinning. "You know it would be so much easier if you just told me. Save yourself a lot of pain and heartache."

Danny rolled his eyes and shoved Flack out the door. "I'm a man on a mission!" Flack called out as Danny closed the door behind his friend. He turned the deadbolt and fastened the security chain before flicking off the lights in the entrance way and heading back to the living room. Lindsay was no where to be found, so he picked up the bowls and beer bottles from the coffee table and took them into the kitchen, leaving them in the sink. They could wait until morning. Right now he had to find his wife.

* * *

While Flack was making his departure, Lindsay had snuck into the bedroom to get herself ready. She had assumed that Danny would lock up and possibly clean up dishes from the living room, so she figured she had a few minutes. She was rummaging through her underwear drawer, looking for that little black lacy thing that Danny liked so much when she felt two arms close around her from behind.

"That was a very bad thing you did tonight, Montana," Danny growled in her ear.

Lindsay could feel her body start to tingle at the sound of his voice and the soft caress of his hands on her belly. "Oh, yeah?" she asked, leaning back into him.

"Yeah," he said. She could feel his breath on her neck. His lips were so close to her skin, just a fraction of an inch closer and she would be able to feel the soft stubble of his cheeks as it tickled her, the warm wet feeling of his mouth as he ravaged her neck. But he was holding back, keeping his distance, making her suffer. "You should know not to tease me like that, especially when I still have to punish you for being such a naughty girl this morning."

Lindsay nearly melted into a puddle at Danny's words. She hadn't forgotten their intense make-out session that morning, but she _had _forgotten the conversation that had preceeded it. They had been discussing Lucy's new trick of repeating everying her parents said, including her new favourite - _Shit_.

_Guess this means you'll have to stop being such a potty mouth._

_Oh yeah. I'm the one with the potty mouth. I seem to remember a few choice words coming out of your mouth over the past few nights, Montana._

_What can I say? I'm a dirty girl. I think that maybe I need to be punished._

A delicious shiver ran through Lindsay's body as she realized that Danny was ready to finish what they had started that morning.

"Danny," she breathed, her chest rising and falling more and more rapidly as Danny's hands began to move. One hand trailed upward, skimming over her breasts, while the other slipped down between her thighs and he began to knead her gently through the fabric of her pants.

"I thought that trick with the beer bottle was low, Montana," Danny said, his voice husky in her ear. "But when you dropped that ice cream down your shirt, I just wanted to..."

"What, Danny? What did you want to do?" Lindsay panted as Danny's hands continued to caress her through her clothes.

"I wanted to pull your hands away and lick it off you myself."

"Oh, God, Danny," Lindsay could feel his building erection pressing into her lower back and it was driving her wild. That paired with what his hands were still doing to her was sending her quickly to the edge.

"You want something, baby?" Danny asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.

"Yes," Lindsay pleaded. "I want you. Danny, please."

"You want me to what, Lindsay?" he asked. "Use your words."

"I want you to fucking kiss me already," Lindsay said, her chest heaving at the way Danny was touching her so intimately, but he still had yet to place a kiss to her neck, her jaw, her face...anywhere.

Without warning, Danny's hands were gone from her chest and between her legs and she was spun around so that she was facing him. He raked his eyes down her body, taking in her flushed appearance, his eyes full of lust.

"Well why didn't you just say so?" he asked smugly before crashing his mouth down onto hers and taking her breath away. Lindsay moaned as Danny thrust his tongue into her mouth. It wasn't sweet or gentle, but after an evening of teasing, she wanted neither of those things. She wanted her satisfaction, and she wanted it now.

"Fuck me, baby," she said pulling away from their kiss. Danny didn't hesitate. He took her by the hand and started to pull her over to the bed, but Lindsay stood her ground, digging in her heels, causing Danny to stop and look at her.

"What? I thought you said..."

His words were silenced as Lindsay reached around behind her, using her arm to clear the top of her dresser of the assorted odds and ends that she kept there. Then she hopped up on top of the dresser and grabbed Danny by the front of his shirt so that he was standing between her legs, which she wrapped around his hips.

"Fuck, Linds," he breathed as she fisted her hands into his shirt with one hand, running the other through his hair. "That was so fucking hot."

"Mmm," Lindsay moaned into his neck as he skimmed his hands up and down her thighs, his lips finally moving over he neck as he nipped and sucked at the skin at the juncture of her neck and shoulder. "Less talking, baby."

Danny's hands roamed freely over her body as he kissed his way back up to her mouth, capturing her lips in another searing kiss. He felt Lindsay respond by wrapping her legs more tightly around him, pressing his hard erection into her body, which caused both of them to moan.

"Take off your pants," Lindsay demanded.

"You're very bossy tonight," Danny chuckled into her neck as she reached down and began to unbuckle his belt.

"You love it," she said, grinning at him. "Assertive women turn you on."

Danny shook his head. "You're wrong baby," he said as he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "The only woman who turns me on is the one that has her hand in my pants right now."

Lindsay grinned even wider at him as she closed her hand around him, stroking him and feeling her insides begin to twinge with anticipation as he hardened even more at her touches.

"Take them off," she said again.

"Yes ma'am," Danny said, stepping back and letting his pants drop around his ankles, pushing his boxers down after them and stepping out of them, kicking them to the side. Then his hands were at Lindsay's waist, and in a matter of seconds he had undone her belt and unfastened her button and fly, and pulling her pants from her legs, followed quickly by her panties.

Then Danny stepped into her once again, grabbing Lindsay's legs and wrapping them securely around his hips. He pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her and she felt her body shiver as he pushed his cock inside of her. Then he pulled out quickly, instantly setting a pace that ensured that they would get the release they had been desperate for all day long. With every thrust from Danny, Lindsay tilted her hips up and squeezed him in tighter with her legs, her fingers grasping tightly to his back, wanting to feel every inch of him pressed up against her.

"Oh, shit! Oh, Danny!" Lindsay panted as Danny pumped harder and faster. "God, you feel so good, baby!"

They continued to rock back and forth on the dresser, their pace becoming more and more frantic and erratic as they neared their climaxes. "You close, Montana?" Danny asked, breathing hard.

"Yes! Oh, God, yes!" Lindsay panted.

Danny moved his hands, slipping them under her thighs, causing Lindsay to fall back slightly and lean against the wall behind her. From his new position, Danny was able to shift his position, ensuring that he hit the same, deep spot that he knew Lindsay loved over and over.

"You okay, baby?" he asked when Lindsay stopped moving against him. Her eyes were closed and she was biting her lip.

"Babe? You okay? You like what I'm doing?"

"Oh, yes! Yes! Yes! Yes! Oh!"

Suddenly, he felt Lindsay's entire body tense as her orgasm overwhelmed her, fast and hard. He felt her inner muscles begin to shudder around him and he continued to pound into her as she called out his name.

The sound of his name on her lips and the feeling of her around his aching cock were all he needed to bring him to his own spectacular orgasm as he growled her name.

They remained there, sweaty and spent, until Danny was sure that his legs wouldn't give out on him the moment that he moved away from the support of the dresser.

"Fuck, now I know why you wanted to buy these ugly-ass dressers," he said as he pulled away from her and helped her down from her perch.

"Danny! They are not ugly!" she protested. "They're... they're..."

"Just the right height?" he said, smirking at her as he collapsed onto their bed.

"Smart ass," she said, slapping his chest as she crawled in beside him. He leaned down and pulled the blankets up around them, tucking them up around Lindsay who was snuggled in beside him.

"You wouldn't have me any other way," Danny replied, kissing her forehead. "Besides, you know I'm right."

"Shut up and go to sleep, Messer," Lindsay chuckled as she felt herself dozing off.

"Alright, alright," Danny said, rubbing her back affectionately. "You win this round. Goodnight Linds."

"Night, Danny," Lindsay said, a victorious smile playing on her lips.

* * *

**So, just a little fluffy, smutty fun. I hope you enjoyed it! **

**Wow, next chapter is the big 2-0. Not bad for a story that was only ever intended to be maybe 5 or 6 chapters when I started! Thank you all for sticking around so far!**

**Please leave me a review to let me know what you thought. They are always very very much appreciated :)**


	20. Pick On Danny Day

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your reviews. I'm glad that everyone seemed to enjoy the game that was going on between Danny and Lindsay, as well as Flack's new obsession with cowboy hats! **

**So, this chapter was giving me some grief - refusing to be written - and that's why there was a bit of a delay in getting it posted. I had to bend it to my will. And it still didn't turn out the way I had planned, which is not necessarily a bad thing. :) It's just gone in a bit of a different direction than I thought when I began this chapter.**

**But enough from me... I would like to welcome you all to Chapter 20!**

* * *

"You should have seen them, Hawkes. It was hilarious," Flack chuckled. "When Linds dropped that ice cream on herself, I thought Danny was literally going to explode!"

"Oh, my God," Hawkes said, grinning. "And they really thought you didn't notice all this going on right under your nose?"

"Oh, man. It was priceless. They thought they were being all sly and shit," Flack replied, shaking his head. "I was surprised they let me stay till the game was over. Figured that Danny would have kicked me out before the end of the second period, with the way things were going."

"Oh, you guys are mean!" Stella said, coming to the defence of her two friends. "They're in love! And I, for one, think that they are adorable."

"Yeah, adorably obnoxious," Flack replied, grinning. "They're like a pair of horny teenagers, Stell. I mean, come on! It's the Rangers, for Christ's sake. Show some respect and keep your hands to yourself!"

"Ugh, you are such a guy," Stella scolded Flack. The three of them were in the break room sharing a quick cup of coffee before heading off to work. They sat around the table, continuing to talk in low voices until Danny walked into the room, and the conversation suddenly died, as all eyes in the room were on him.

"Morning," Danny said as he walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. He took a sip from the bottle and looked over at his friends as he wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?"

Flack smirked and Stella grinned at him. At least Hawkes had the decency to blush and look slightly awkward.

"Just telling them about the game last night," Flack said, winking at Stella and Hawkes.

"Oh yeah?" Danny asked as he cautiously walked over to the table and pulled out a chair before sitting down. "And why do I feel like that's a bad thing?"

"Oh, no reason," Flack said evasively. "We were just wondering what you and Linds got up to after the game was over."

Danny narrowed his eyes at Flack, glancing back and forth between Stella and Hawkes, who were both trying to look uninterested in the whole conversation. "We locked up and went to bed," Danny replied. "Why?"

"Just curious," Flack replied, shrugging his shoulders.

Danny was quickly becoming exasperated with the whole conversation. He was sure that he was missing something, and that there was some underlying context to it that he just didn't understand. "Fine," he said, standing up and tossing his now empty water bottle into the recycling bin. "Whatever. I'll see you later."

Flack watched as his friend got up and walked from the room, clearly in a huff. A wicked smirk spread across his face and he turned back to Hawkes and Stella. "Think we hit a nerve there?" he chuckled.

* * *

Danny was still in a slightly pissy mood half an hour later as he stood peering into the microscope, trying to analyze the tiny particles on display in front of him. He let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair. He had been staring at this same sample for so long that his eyes were starting to cross, and he was no closer to identifying the substance.

He readjusted the slide and squinted, looking down into the viewfinder. Using the dials on the side of the scope, he began to bring the image into focus once more. He almost had it... the image was finally starting to take shape!

Two arms snaked around Danny's waist, causing him to jump, his arm knocking the dial on the microscope and suddenly he was once again looking down into a blurry mess.

"Shit!" he muttered under his breath.

"Oh, poor baby," Lindsay muttered into his shoulder before releasing him from her embrace and moving to stand beside him.

He glared at her and then turned his attention back the microscope, fiddling with the dials to try to recapture the image that had been lost. But he couldn't concentrate. He could feel Lindsay staring at him. Finally he gave up, throwing his arms in the air and turning to her.

"What?" he snapped.

She gave him a cheeky grin before patting his cheek. "You're adorable when you're grumpy, you know."

"Shut up. I am not."

"You're not grumpy? Or you're not adorable?" Lindsay asked, biting her lip to keep from laughing at the scowl on Danny's face.

"Neither," Danny huffed back at her.

Lindsay leaned in to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing a quick kiss to his chin. "I disagree. You are adorable... especially when you're grumpy."

Danny scoffed at her, and she smiled as she felt his arms slide around her shoulders and he rested his cheek on the top of her head.

"What's wrong, baby? After last night, I figured you'd be strutting down the halls and grinning like an idiot. I know that's what I wanted to do this morning."

"It's nothing, Linds," Danny said as he pulled away from her, turning his attention back to the microscope. He gave her a small smile. "It's just Flack. He's up to something, and it's freaking me out a little bit."

"Yeah, Stella told me that he was in the break room this morning, crowing about how he saw right through our little game last night," Lindsay said, a wide smile on her face.

"So that's what that was about!" Danny exclaimed, realization finally dawning on him. "I wondered. I felt like I'd walked into the middle of a conversation and was missing the most important part."

"Yeah, you kind of did," Lindsay said, rubbing his back gently as he continued to work on refocusing the microscope. "She also mentioned that he has seen the hat with his own eyes, and has vowed to them all that he's going to discover our secret."

"Fucking idiot," Danny chuckled to himself. "Why can't he just mind his own business?"

"He wouldn't be Flack if he did that," Lindsay giggled. "Besides, I kind of want to see the expression on his face when he finds out why my mother gave it to us."

Danny looked up from the microscope and winked at her. "I think he might just shit himself if he ever finds out that your mom has now christened it _The Baby Maker_."

Lindsay laughed out loud, doubling over and putting her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. "Oh, my God! Can you imagine?" she gasped.

Danny smiled down at his wife, a huge grin on his face as he watched her wipe the tears of laughter from her eyes. She had this magical way of always making him feel better, and helping him to see the lighter side of things.

"What did I tell you two about laughing in the office?" Mac's stern voice carried into the lab from the hallway. Danny and Lindsay spun around, a guilty smile on Danny's face, while Lindsay was still sniffling and wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

Mac grinned back at them, walking into the room. "What's so funny?" he asked.

"We just realized that Flack may have bitten off more than he can chew," Lindsay responded.

"Ah, yes," Mac said, nodding his head. "Something about a hat, if I'm not mistaken."

Danny and Lindsay looked at each other. "Um, yeah. Something like that," Danny replied, blushing slightly and grinning sheepishly at his boss.

"You know what? I don't want to know," Mac said as he stood up, pushing his chair back under the desk. He smiled at the young couple in front of him. "Lindsay, don't you have somewhere you have to be? Maybe some paperwork that needs to be finished?"

Lindsay nodded her head, biting her lip. "Yeah. I will Mac," she said. "Right away."

"Good," Mac replied, turning and heading out of the room. He stopped in the doorway and looked back at Danny and Lindsay. "By the way, I got that picture of Lucy with the ponies. She looked adorable," he said, smiling at Danny and Lindsay, who beamed back at him at the mention of their little girl. "Thank you for thinking of me."

"It's our pleasure, Mac," Lindsay said.

"Now get back to work," Mac said over his shoulder as he walked away down the hall.

Danny turned and looked at his wife. "You are such a troublemaker. I'm sitting here, innocently minding my own business and you come in and get me in trouble with the boss."

"Oh, be quiet," Lindsay scolded him gently, patting his backside as he turned his attention once again to the microscope.

"Did you actually want something when you came in here, or were you just looking for trouble?"

"Actually, I came to tell you that your mother called," Lindsay explained. "She wanted to know what time we were coming for dinner tonight. Something you forgot to tell me, babe?"

Danny looked up from the microscope. "Ah, crap!" he exclaimed, slapping his forehead with the palm of his hand. "Shit. It's my Nona's birthday and Ma's having a big family dinner tonight. I completely forgot."

"You know, it's a good thing you're pretty," Lindsay said, pressing a kiss to Danny's cheek before turning and walking from the room.

Danny heaved a sigh. It was turning out to be one of those days.

* * *

"You ready?" Danny asked as he pulled up outside of his parents' house in Staten Island. "Last chance to back out. I don't think they've seen us yet."

Lindsay rolled her eyes at Danny. "Don't be ridiculous," she said. "Of course we're going in."

"Alright," Danny said, turning to her with a huge grin on his face. "But brace yourself, sweetie. You haven't seen the Messers in full swing yet. It's not for the faint of heart." And with that he opened his door, stepping out onto the street and walking around the car to the trunk where they had stowed the gift they had brought for Danny's grandmother. Lindsay got out of the car and opened the back door, collecting Lucy from her car seat before slinging the diaper bag over her shoulder.

They walked together up the front steps, stopping at the door and Danny rang the doorbell. A cacophony of voices could be heard inside. Suddenly the door swung open and they were face to face with Danny's mother, Maria Messer.

"Daniel! Oh, mio bambino!" she squealed, grabbing Danny's face with her hands and peppering his cheeks with kisses. "Oh, I'm so glad you're back! We missed you!"

"Hi Ma," Danny said, grinning at his mother. She released him from her grip and turned her focus on Lindsay and Lucy. "My girls! Oh, look at you two. Lindsay! You're so skinny!" she exclaimed, smacking Danny on the back of the head.

"Ow! Ma, what was that for?"

"Don't you talk back to me, Daniel," Maria scolded him. "You bring your wife here, and she's so skinny. You don't feed her anymore? I thought I raised you better than that!"

"I think she looks fine," Danny muttered, rubbing the back of his head.

"Don't you worry, Lindsay," Maria said, pulling Lindsay inside the house and closing the door behind her. "We'll feed you properly tonight. We can't have you wasting away, can we?"

Lindsay smiled at her mother-in-law. She really did love Maria Messer. She was so different from her own mother, but also the same in many ways. She showed her love for her family through food, bringing everyone together over a warm and comforting meal. And she wasn't afraid to say exactly what was on her mind, which Lindsay loved because it was a constant source of embarrassment for Danny.

After kicking off their shoes and tossing their jackets into the front hall closet, Danny, Lindsay and Lucy were dragged into the living room to be greeted by the rest of the family. The room was packed with people, relatives from Maria's side of the family practically overflowing from the small room.

"Joe, look who's here!" Maria shouted. Lindsay saw the hulking figure of Joseph Messer as he got up from the table where he had been playing poker with a few other men. He squeezed through the crowd of people until he was standing in front of them.

"I wondered who Maria was yelling at out here," he said, winking at Lindsay before he kissed her on the cheek. "Is that my little Lucy that I see?" he said, opening his arms to her. Lucy squirmed in Lindsay's arms, reaching out for her grandfather. "Papa!" she squealed.

"Hey, little monkey," Joe said, jiggling Lucy in his arms and rubbing his nose against hers. "How's my favourite girl?"

"Papa! Haw-see!"

"What's she saying?" Joe asked, looking to Danny and Lindsay to interpret.

"She's all excited because she saw some horseys when we were in Montana, didn't you Luce?" Danny explained.

"Haw-see!" Lucy exclaimed, giggling as Joe made horsey noises for her.

"Did you guys have a good time?" Joe asked Danny.

"We did," he said. "But it's nice to be home. All that fresh air kind of made me sick."

Lindsay laughed, as Danny pulled her into his side, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Well, we missed you here," Joe said. "Too quiet without Danny around kicking up a fuss about one thing or another."

"What? What is this, pick-on-Danny day?" As Danny sputtered in protest, Joe gave Lindsay a wink before walking with Lucy back to the table to resume his game, Lucy sitting on his lap and carefully taste-testing each of his poker chips.

"Can I help you with anything, Mom?" Lindsay asked, setting Lucy's diaper bag down in the corner where she hoped no one would trip over it.

"Oh, no. Everything's almost ready, _cara mia_," Maria said, patting Lindsay's cheek affectionately. "You just find a place to sit, and enjoy yourself."

"Thanks, Ma," Danny said, kissing his mother on the cheek before taking Lindsay's hand and leading her into the room. She already knew several of the people, but there were still a few unfamiliar faces. Danny took her around the room and made the introductions, his face beaming with pride as he introduced everyone to his wife.

Finally, he came to a tiny woman who was sitting in the place of honour in a plush armchair beside the fireplace. "And you remember my Nona," Danny said, leading Lindsay over. He crouched down next to the armchair and gently laid his hand on the frail arm of his grandmother.

"Nonnie?" he said softly.

"Is that my little Daniel?" she asked, her cloudy eyes looking around the room.

"Yeah, Nonnie. It's Daniel. Happy Birthday."

"Oh, _mio bambino_, I'm too old for birthdays!" she chuckled. "Come here and let me look at you!"

Danny moved to kneel down in front of her. She raised a shaking hand to his face and Lindsay's heart broke as she realized that since the last time she had seen Danny's grandmother, she had lost her sight, and she was using her hands to feel his face.

"You get more handsome everyday, Daniel," she said smiling at him, her hands cupping his cheeks.

"And you get more beautiful, Nonnie," Danny said.

"And where's that pretty wife of yours? Is she here with you?"

"Yes, Nonnie. Lindsay's right here." Danny gently took his grandmother's hand and placed it on Lindsay's arm as she crouched down beside him. Lindsay closed her eyes and felt the thin, papery fingers as they moved from her arm and skimmed over her own face.

"Such a pretty girl," Nonnie said, smiling at Lindsay.

"Thank you, Nonnie. And Happy Birthday," Lindsay said.

"Thank you, Lindsay," Nonnie replied before turning back to Danny. "Your mother tells me that you were on a trip, Daniel. Where did you go?"

Danny told his grandmother about their time in Montana, and Lindsay listened, enraptured by the way that Danny and his grandmother interacted. Danny was close to his whole family, but there was a particularly strong bond between himself and his grandmother. As Danny spoke, Nonnie asked questions of himself and Lindsay, wanting to know what Montana looked like, and what the people were like there. Lindsay loved listening to Nonnie talk, her thick Italian accent rolling around the words and making even the most everyday words sound interesting and exotic.

"I'm just going to go and help your mom get dinner on the table, okay Danny?" Lindsay said, pushing herself up from the floor. She gently squeezed Nonnie's hand. "I'll talk to you again later, okay Nonnie?"

"Thanks, babe," Danny whispered to her, taking her hand in his and pressing a kiss to her fingers before she turned and walked into the kitchen, giving Danny and his grandmother a moment of privacy together.

"Anything I can do to help?" Lindsay asked Maria as she entered the kitchen.

"Oh, Lindsay, you're our guest! You don't have to help," Maria said, smiling at Lindsay over her shoulder as she poured bubbling red tomato sauce over a steaming bowl of pasta.

"I know," LIndsay said, "But I'd really like to help if I could."

"Well, the food's all ready. We just need to get it onto the table. Then it's time to eat."

"Load me up!" Lindsay said as Maria began to hand her dishes brimming with her delicious cooking.

Once everything was on the table, clapped her hands together, startling the room into silence. "Dinner's ready!" she called out. Lindsay scooted back into a corner as the living room emptied and everyone began to crowd around the dining room table. She scanned the crowd for Danny, wondering where they were going to sit. Not seeing him, she turned to look back into the living room.

Danny and his father were gently helping Nonnie from her chair, her hands clutched tightly in theirs as she slowly shuffled toward the table on shaky legs. Lindsay moved to pull out a chair for the elderly woman, and Danny and Joe smiled at her as she helped them to get her seated and comfortable.

"Thanks, Linds," Danny said.

"Who's that, Daniel?" Nonnie asked.

"Who's what, Nonnie?" Danny asked.

"That woman you're talking to. Who is she?"

"It's Lindsay, Nonnie," Lindsay said.

"Oh! Did you know my Daniel's wife is named Lindsay too?"

Lindsay looked up at Danny. He quickly looked away, but she had already seen the look on his face. She reached over the back of the chair and gave his hand a supportive squeeze. He gave her a small, sad smile as he took his place at the table beside his grandmother. Lindsay was seated on his other side, and Lucy's high chair was pulled up to the table on the other side of Lindsay.

As dinner began, the conversation started up once more, voices quickly overlapping and underneath it all were the sounds of cutlery clinking against plates as everyone dug into the feast that Maria had prepared.

Lindsay kept a close eye on Danny. He was putting on a brave face, joking with his cousins and verbally sparring with his aunts and uncles, but she saw him cast quick, worried glances at his grandmother every once in a while. He helped her cut up her food, and moved her glass when she knocked into it with her arm, almost causing it to spill.

By the end of the meal, when the platters were almost empty, Lindsay was dismayed to find that Danny had barely touched his dinner, simply pushing the food around on his plate. She laid her hand on his thigh, giving his leg a squeeze. "Babe, you okay?" she asked.

"Fine," he said as he dropped his fork and pushed his plate away from him.

"Danny?"

Danny shook his head. "Excuse me," he said, pushing himself away from the table and walking out of the dining room. She heard his footsteps as he went up the stairs, and then she heard the sound of a door closing behind him.

**

* * *

**

So, um, like I said before, not quite where I intended to go with this chapter... but don't worry. It's not going to get too heavy.

**I do hope that you liked the bantering at the beginning. I just think that sometimes real life is like that, you know? One minute you're having a laugh with your friends, and the next you want to sit down and cry. I don't really know what my point is here, so I'll stop blabbering. ;)**

**I would love to know what you thought! Please leave me a review!**


	21. Don't Worry, Be Happy

**A/N: Aw, thank you all so much for your supportive comments for the last chapter. I'm not sure what came over me in the second half of the chapter, but I'm really glad that I left it in!**

**So, what now? Well, Danny's having a tough time coming to grips with his grandmother's failing health, and Lindsay offers him some support.**

**Enjoy, my lovelies!**

* * *

"Danny, honey?" Lindsay asked as she knocked softly on the door. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he mumbled from behind the door of his childhood bedroom.

"Sweetie, can I come in?"

"Yeah."

Lindsay pushed open the door, peering into the room lit only by the soft light of the desk lamp. Danny was lying on the bed, staring at a picture held in his hands. She walked over to him and gingerly sat down on the edge of the bed, reaching her hand out and gently stroking his cheek.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Lindsay asked, moving to sit down beside him on the narrow twin bed, resting her back against the headboard. Danny curled up on his side, resting his head on her chest while still gazing down at the picture in his hand. She put her arm around his shoulders and rubbed small soft circles on his back, offering him some comfort.

Lindsay looked down at the picture. A seven-year old version of Danny was staring back at her with his familiar blue eyes and cheeky grin on his face as his grandmother pinched his cheek. Danny was holding a baseball bat in his hands, and his grandmother was wearing his child-size baseball hat on her head. When she had first seen this picture, Danny had told her that it was taken only a few moments after he hit his first home run in little league, and that his grandmother had been so proud of him she had run out onto the field after the game to congratulate him. The picture had been taken by his coach, who had sent two copies home with Danny after the next practice. Nonnie had put them in matching frames and placed hers on top of her mantelpiece in her living room. She had told all of her friends that her Daniel was going to grow up to be a baseball superstar.

"I just feel like I've missed so much, Linds," Danny said. "I mean, in the last year I've been so busy that I've only seen her maybe three or four times. I just, I always figured that she'd be around forever, and that I would always have more time. I never knew how bad she'd gotten in the last few months. Linds she..." Danny's voice broke, and she could tell that he was desperately trying not to break down. She listened as he took a deep and trembling breath, blowing all the air out before continuing.

"When my mom and dad were at work, I'd spend every afternoon after school at Nonnie's. Some of my very best memories as a kid were the times I spent with her. She'd help me with my homework, she taught me how to cook, and she even used to play catch with me in the backyard. And when Louie started getting into trouble at school, when him and his friends would pick on me, she was always there. And I just... I can't even think about what my life would have been like without her."

"Oh, Danny," Lindsay said, gazing down at the picture once again.

"I should have spent more time with her," he continued, his voice shaking. "I should have made myself make time. She... she helped raise me, Linds. And this is how I repay her? By... by neglecting her? By forgetting about her? She was always there for me, Linds. Always. And now that she needs me, where have I been?"

"You were with your family, sweetheart," Lindsay said, running her hand through his hair. "You were learning how to walk again, babe. You were trying to recover from a life-changing injury. You were working to support your family, and helping to raise your daughter. There's nothing wrong with that, Danny."

"Yeah, I know Linds," Danny said. "But..."

"No buts, baby," she said putting her finger under his chin and lifting his head so he was looking right at her. "She wants you to be happy. She loves you so much. I can see it when I watch the two of you together. She's so proud of you and the person you've become."

"Hmph."

"Don't you _hmph _at me, Daniel Messer," Lindsay scolded him, smacking him lightly on the arm. "You should be proud of yourself. I know that your Nonnie is. How could she not be?" Lindsay said, and she began ticking things off on her fingers. "You have a job that you love, you have friends who would do anything for you, a daughter who absolutely and completely worships the ground you walk on, and a wife who couldn't live a day without you. You are a sensitive, passionate, intelligent, funny, brave and loving man. In fact, I'm certain that you are exactly the man that your Nonnie wanted you to grow up to be, baby."

Lindsay listened as Danny sighed, wrapping his arms around her waist as he nuzzled his face into her shoulder. "I just wish I had more time with her," he whispered.

"I know, honey," Lindsay said, gently rubbing his arm that was resting over her belly. "But you've got time now. She's still here, Danny. You can make sure that when the day comes for her to go, that neither of you have any regrets."

Danny sat up, looking over at his wife. He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, and she... she could get to know Lucy and you better too. I think she'd really like that."

Lindsay smiled at him. "I know she would, Danny. And so would we."

Danny placed the picture back on the bedside table before he turned to Lindsay and placed a soft and loving kiss to her lips. She slid her hands up into his hair, gently caressing the short strands on the back of his neck. "Thank you, Linds," Danny said as he broke their kiss, his forehead still resting against hers. "I love you so much."

"I love you too, Danny," she said. She leaned in and gently pressed her lips against his once more before pulling away and standing beside the bed. She held her hand out for him to take, which he did, pulling himself up off the bed.

"What would I do without you?" he asked her as he walked over to the door, holding it open for her.

* * *

Danny and Lindsay rejoined the party still going on downstairs. As they re-entered the living room hand-in-hand, Lindsay saw Maria giving her a questioning look. She squeezed Danny's hand and kissed his cheek. "I'll be back in a minute, Danny. Why don't you go talk to Nonnie?"

He smiled at her. "I will. Thanks, Linds."

She watched him make his way through the crowded living room toward his father, who was once again bouncing Lucy on his lap. She smiled as Lucy held out her arms to Danny, wanting him to pick her up, which he did, blowing a raspberry on her tummy and making her giggle. Holding Lucy in his arms, Danny then walked over to where his grandmother was sitting in her chair by the fireplace.

Turning, Lindsay walked into the kitchen, where she found Maria leaning against the counter sipping a glass of red wine.

"Is he alright?" Maria asked, a worried expression on her face.

Lindsay smiled warmly and nodded her head. "I think he'll be fine. It was just a shock for him to see her suddenly so frail. He feels badly that he hasn't been spending more time with her."

Maria let out a deep sigh. "It's been very difficult, you know? Everything that this family has been through these past few years, and my mother has always been so strong. When Louie died, she was heartbroken, but she kept it together because she knew how devastated Danny was. And when I told her about Danny being... about how he got hurt, she really hurt for him. But she never doubted for a single second that he would get out of that chair and walk right back into her life.""Why didn't anyone tell him?" Lindsay asked. "He would have dropped everything to help her, to be by her side and make sure that she was okay."

"Oh, Joe and I wanted to, we really did," Maria said, taking another sip of wine. "But my mother, she's so stubborn." Maria smiled. "That's where Danny gets it from, you know. From my side of the family." Lindsay grinned back at her mother-in-law.

"Anyway, she didn't want him to be worried. She knew that he had been through so many hard times, and that he finally had so much good in his life. She told us that if he knew, he would be spending too much time with her, time that he should be spending watching his own bambina grow up with you."

Lindsay's eyes filled with tears as she watched Maria set her wine glass down on the counter with a shaking hand. "Are you alright, Mom?" she asked.

Maria smiled wearily back at Lindsay. "Ah, I will be fine, _cara mia_," she said. "We're all worried now, but my mother is so stubborn. You watch. She'll live to be one hundred and five years old!"

Lindsay let out a soft laugh. "I hope that she does," she said, walking forward and timidly holding her arms out to Maria, who gave her a wide smile before stepping into Lindsay's embrace.

"I'm so glad he met you, Lindsay," she said, stepping back and gently cupping Lindsay's face in her hands. "You are so good for him. And I think maybe he's good for you too, no?"

Lindsay smiled shyly. "Oh, I know he's good for me," she said. "But don't tell him I told you that!"

Maria grinned at Lindsay, stepping away and quickly wiping at her eyes. "Ah, your secret is safe with me. That boy's ego does not need to get any bigger," she laughed, winking at Lindsay.

Lindsay smiled as she looked around the kitchen. It was a disaster area - dirty dishes, cutlery, serving platters and pots and pans littered every available surface. "Do you need any help in here, Mom?" she asked.

Maria shook her head, moving back to the counter and picking up a wash cloth.

"Oh. Do you have a dishwasher?" Lindsay asked, looking around the kitchen, but not seeing one anywhere.

"Yeah... his name's Joe!" Maria laughed, picking up her wine glass once more and taking a sip. "You don't worry about anything here, _bellissima_. Go. Get out. Go find my Daniel and tell him that you love him, and that he shouldn't worry so much." She smiled as she gently shooed Lindsay from the kitchen.

* * *

"She's so beautiful, Daniel," Nonnie said, holding Lucy on her lap. Danny sat on the floor, his hands resting on Lucy's legs so that she didn't fall. When he'd sat down with her, placing Lucy on her lap, he had watched as his grandmother had gently trailed her fingers over Lucy's little face, taking in her features.

"Thank you, Nonnie," he said. "Lindsay and I think so too."

"Ah, our family always makes beautiful babies," she said, reaching down and pinching Danny's cheek. "You should have more. It's a shame to waste such good genes, Daniel."

"We don't have any plans to just yet, but Lindsay's mom wants to have another grandbaby to spoil as soon as possible," Danny said as he stuck his tongue out at Lucy, who giggled at her silly daddy.

"She sounds like a very smart woman," Nonnie said smiling down at him as she jiggled Lucy gently on her knee.

"Hey guys," Lindsay said as she walked up to the little group. "Mind if I join you?"

"Hey baby," Danny said kissing her cheek. "Where'd you go?"

"Just talking to your mom," she said. She turned and smiled up at Nonnie who was beaming down at Lucy. "Hi Nonnie. I see you and Lucy are getting to know each other better!"

"Yes. She was telling me all about... now Daniel, I can't remember his name."

Danny sighed. "Well, I used to just call him Ted, but Lucy calls him Tee-Bah," he said, shaking his head.

"Tee-Bah!" Lucy giggled, clapping her hands and looking around for her bear. "Yoo-see Tee-Bah, p'ease Dada?"

"Only because you asked so nicely, Sweetpea," Danny said, standing up to get Lucy's bear from her diaper bag. Lindsay moved so that she took Danny's place holding onto Lucy's little legs as she fidgeted and squirmed impatiently.

"Tee-Bah," Lucy said again, a pout forming on her face. "Want Tee-Bah now!"

"Lucy, Daddy's gone to get him. Be patient please," Lindsay said. "And don't pout. You know what your Daddy will do if you pout."

"Uh oh," Danny said, walking back up to them with his hands behind his back. "Is someone pouting?" He looked sternly down at his daughter.

"No, Dada. Yoo-see no powt," Lucy said, shaking her head and sticking her bottom lip out further.

"I don't know, Mommy," Danny said, crouching down in front of his daughter. "That looks like a pout to me."

"Me too, Daddy," she said. She looked up and could see the corners of Lucy's mouth twitching as she tried to stop herself from smiling, knowing what was coming. "What are we going to do about it?"

"Well, I have no choice," Danny sighed. "I'm going to have to tickle her until she stops pouting and starts smiling."

Danny quickly handed Lindsay the bear he had been holding behind his back, and she put it down beside the armchair, out of Lucy's sight as Danny lunged forward, grabbing his daughter and tickling her. She writhed and giggled, kicking her little legs and squealing as Danny wiggled his fingers on her belly and under her chin.

"No more powt! All done!" Lucy said between giggles.

"Are you sure you're all done?" Danny asked, continuing to tickle her gently. "No more pouting?"

"No more," Lucy said, nodding her head seriously.

"That's my good girl," Danny said, standing Lucy on his lap and pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "Now, what were you asking for so nicely before the tickle monster interrupted us?" he asked.

"Tee-Bah! P'ease Dada?"

"What do you say, Daddy. Can Tee-Bah come out and play?" Lindsay asked.

Danny smiled at his wife, who handed the bear over to him. He moved as if he was going to hand Lucy her bear, but at the last second, he stopped, pulling the bear away.

"Oh, just a minute, Lucy," he said. "He wants to tell me something." Lindsay had to bite her lip at the pair of them. Danny holding the bear up to his ear, nodding seriously as he listened, and Lucy sitting and staring at her father, waiting patiently to see what Tee-Bah had to tell him.

"Uh huh... Uh huh... No, that's a good point... Yup, I'll tell her," he said. He turned to Lucy. "He told me to tell you that he loves you and thinks that you're the nicest little girl he's ever met." Lucy's eyes went wide with wonder at Danny's words. "But, he also said that he thinks you have a funny face when you pout, and he wants you to only be happy, okay?"

Lucy nodded her head, a wide smile on her face. "See? Yoo-see 'mile now!" she said. "All better. No more powt."

"Did you hear that, Tee-Bah?" Danny asked the bear. "She says no more pouting!" Lucy erupted in a fit of giggles as her bear lunged toward her, peppering her face with kisses, with Danny making loud smooching noises.

Lindsay laughed at the scene in front of her. She turned to look up and saw that Nonnie was laughing along with them, a wide smile spread across her wrinkled face, and her eyes shining with tears of joy for the happiness in her grandson's life.

**

* * *

**

Oh, Tee-Bah. I have such fond memories of that bear. Just so you know, Tee-Bah is a real bear. He's kind of goofy looking and very thread-bare by now. And he was my dad's before he was mine. So... yeah. I'm kind of attached to him, and I like for him to make an appearance every once in a while. Just thought you might like to know that - little something from behind the story!

**Oh, and my dad's name for Tee-Bah? Ted E. Bear. :)**

**I'd love to know what you thought... I tried to make this chapter poignant, give some insight into the Messer's lives, but without getting too sappy. I hope that I managed to capture that balance. Please let me know!**


	22. Let's Get It On Part 1

**A/N: I'm back! And no, I haven't forgotten about this story. Thank you all so much for your wonderful reviews! I was so happy to hear that you all loved seeing Danny and his Nonnie together, and I really had a great time writing it. And I promise that I won't abandon that story line, but in trying to decide where to go with this story, the muse demanded smut. And as you all know, what the muse wants the muse gets... or else. So please consider yourselves forewarned!**

* * *

Lindsay glanced up from the frustrating and complex fibre analysis she was completing just in time to see her husband step out of the elevator and head for the locker room before the start of his shift. She smiled to herself as she watched him walk away down the hall. She quickly finished up her task and put away the items she was working on before discarding her lab coat and following Danny down to the locker room.

She pushed the door open quietly, peering around the doorframe just in time to see her husband hanging up his jacket in his locker. She tiptoed across the floor, walking up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist and pressing a lingering kiss to the back of his neck.

"Hey, baby," she purred in his ear, letting her hands trail down from his waist to rest on his hips, her fingertips grazing dangerously close to his crotch.

"Jesus, Montana," Danny chuckled as he turned in his wife's arms, cupping her cheeks as he placed a soft kiss to her lips. "I'm just starting my shift here. You sure you wanna get me all hot and bothered, and then set me loose on New York City? You really think that's such a good idea?"

Lindsay grinned up at him, moving her hands to squeeze his ass before pushing him up against the bank of lockers behind him. "I'm not worried," she said between kisses to his jaw. "You only have eyes for me."

"Fuck," Danny breathed as Lindsay moved one hand from his ass to the rapidly growing bulge in the front of his pants. "Baby, we gotta stop, or I'm not going to be able to get through the rest of the day without wanting to jump you."

"Mmm," Lindsay murmured into his neck as she massaged him through the fabric of his jeans. "Fine by me, baby. Jump away. I missed you this morning, and I want you so badly, Danny. I've been thinking about you all day."

Danny sighed. He had pulled a double shift yesterday, meaning that he was just getting home from work this morning as Lindsay was leaving. They had time for a quick peck on the lips and an "I love you" before Lindsay had to dash out the door to catch the subway, and Danny had collapsed in bed for a few precious hours of sleep before their daughter awoke and needed her Daddy.

Over the past few days, he and Lindsay had seen one another so infrequently. The last time they had made love was almost a week ago, when they had played their little game, teasing one another before he had fucked her on top of her dresser. He missed her touch, the feel of her skin under his hands, and the sound of her voice as she came undone in his arms. They had both been so busy, and working opposing schedules, that they had yet to have their promised discussion with Mac about seeing if they could align their schedules to spend a bit more time together, away from the office.

Danny sighed. He was tired... to tired to resist his very sexy and seductive wife. He leaned down and pressed his lips against hers, moaning when she opened her mouth for him, allowing him to explore her with his tongue. He felt her hands, one still fondling his growing erection, while the other slid into his back pocket as she grabbed his ass, squeezing and kneading him with her fingers.

Danny moved his hands to the front of her shirt, gently squeezing and massaging her breasts, a low growl forming in his throat at the little noises she made as her nipples hardened in his hands. He let one hand trail up her body until he was cradling her head, his fingers tangled in her brown hair as he pressed her body closer to his, wanting to feel every inch of her against him.

Their panting and soft sighs echoed through the locker room as they explored one another through their clothing. At the sound of the locker room door opening, Danny's head snapped up and he caught a glimpse of someone coming through the door. Whoever it was had entered, then turned as someone out in the hallway had called for their attention. Seeing that they had not yet been caught, Danny grabbed Lindsay's hand and quickly dragged her into the shower room, out of the immediate line of sight of anyone entering the locker room.

Lindsay leaned against his chest and let out a nervous giggle. She was still panting, both from the heavy make-out session with her husband, as well as the excitement of nearly being caught with her hand down his pants. She felt a chuckle rumble from deep in Danny's chest and she looked up at him.

"Fuck me, that was close," Danny grinned down at her.

She smiled mischievously at him as she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her lips against his, her hands moving southward once more, intending to pick up right where they left off.

"Montana," Danny mumbled into her hair as he breathed in the fresh floral scent of her shampoo, "We gotta stop, babe. I gotta go to work, or Mac's gonna kill me."

"We'll be quick, baby," Lindsay breathed as she sucked lightly on his ear lobe. She untucked his shirt and ran her fingers lightly over the warm skin of his lower back. "I'm so hot for you, Danny. I'm ready to come right now, baby."

"Fuck," Danny said, giving up all pretence of resisting her. He slid his arms around Lindsay and lifted her up, cradling her with his hands under her firm ass. She wrapped her legs around his waist and let out a soft groan of anticipation as she felt Danny's erection pressing into her overheated and aroused core. He carried her over to one of the shower stalls, pulling the curtain closed behind them and reaching down between their intertwined bodies to release his aching erection from the confines of his clothes.

"Oh, God. Danny, baby. Please hurry. I need you!" Lindsay pleaded with him as he fumbled with his button and fly.

"I know, baby," Danny panted as he released the zipper and let his jeans drop around his ankles.

"Hey, Danno! You in here?" Flack's voice rang out through the locker room.

Danny and Lindsay froze at the sound of Flack's voice interrupting their intimacy.

"Danny! Come on, man. I just talked to Adam and he said he saw you come in here a few minutes ago."

"Fuck," Danny whispered, resting his forehead against Lindsay's.

"Maybe he'll go away," Lindsay said quietly, both of them holding their breaths, hoping that Flack would give up and go looking for Danny elsewhere.

They listened as Flack's footsteps approached their hiding place. "We gotta go, Dan. We got a scene that needs our attention, pronto!"

"Shit," LIndsay said, unwrapping her legs from around Danny's waist and letting him lower her feet back to the ground. She could still feel Danny's erection pressing up against her belly, and the heat that had built up between them had not yet dissipated, despite the interruption. "Sorry, baby. Sounds like duty is calling you."

"Yeah. I know. Fuck!" Danny muttered under his breath.

"Danno!"

"Yeah, Flack. I'm coming!" Danny called out to his friend as he bent down to pull up his pants, wincing as the fabric brushed against his over stimulated cock. "Just... uh... just getting out of the shower! Gimme a few minutes and I'll meet you downstairs."

"Nah, it's okay. I can wait for you here," Flack responded. Their hearts sank as they heard him sit down on one of the benches out in the common area of the locker room.

Lindsay grinned up at her husband, cupping his scruffy cheeks in her hands. "He's persistent. I'll give him that," she whispered, pecking Danny lightly on the chin.

"What the fuck am I supposed to do about this?" Danny whispered, gesturing down between them at his still-prominent hard on.

"Poor baby," Lindsay giggled. "I'll have to make it up to you tonight. Just, you know, think unsexy thoughts and it will go away."

"Fat fucking chance of that, Montana," Danny grumbled, "I was doing fine until you came in here and started feeling me up. And now to make matters worse, all I can think about is how you're going to make this up to me later."

"Not my fault your so irresistible, baby," Lindsay said. She let out a soft sigh. "So, how're we going to do this? You want to go out there first, or should I?"

Danny glanced down once more at his still bulging pants. "Maybe you'd better. I think I actually might need to take a cold shower, thanks to you."

"Good to know I've still got it," Lindsay said, a smirk on her face as she gave him a flirty little wink before patting him on the backside and pulling aside the shower curtain, leaving him standing alone in the cubicle. He listened as she walked out into the main area of the locker room.

"Hey, Don," she said cheerily as she passed by Flack who was still seated on the bench.

"Um, hey Linds," Don said. Danny could practically hear the smirk in his friend's voice as he continued. "Whatcha been doing?"

"Oh, nothing," she replied. Danny heard the sound of her locker opening and he knew that she was checking her appearance in the small mirror she had attached to the door, ensuring that she didn't look too dishevelled before she walked back out into the lab. "I just saw Danny come in and I hadn't had a chance to talk to him before I left for work this morning."

"Uh huh," Flack said. "Sure. Talking. That's what you two were doing. Purely innocent, I'm sure."

"Of course!" Lindsay protested. "Don, do you seriously think that we can't control ourselves? That we would resort to a quickie in the locker room? Please. We're not animals, you know. Get your mind out of the gutter."

Danny grinned to himself as he listened to Lindsay close her locker, her footsteps fading away before he heard the sound of the locker room door opening and closing behind her.

As the door closed, Danny heard Flack start to chuckle.

"What's so funny?" he asked.

"Your wife is a terrible liar, Danno," Flack replied, still laughing.

"Fuck you, she is not!" Danny said, defending Lindsay, although he knew that her excuse had been blatantly transparent.

"Yeah, right. So are you coming or not... whoops. Sorry. Poor choice of words there, man."

"Oh, fuck off, you asshole!" Danny said, grinning despite himself at his friend's words.

After a few more minutes, Danny had composed himself enough to leave the shower stall, poking his head around the corner to see Flack sitting on the bench with a huge grin on his face.

"Hey, Danno," he greeted his friend. "Have a nice shower? Funny thing, your hair's not wet, and you don't have a towel or anything else that you might need for a shower."

Danny rolled his eyes at Flack. "Shut up."

Undeterred, Flack continued. "See, I'm a detective, right? It's my job to notice little details like that," Flack said, standing up and leaning against the bank of lockers. "It's why they pay me the big bucks."

"Yeah, right," Danny said, opening his locker to retrieve his gun, badge and jacket from within. "Let's go. I thought you were in a big hurry to get to the scene."

"Just waiting on you, man," Flack laughed as he watched Danny slam his locker closed and stalk from the room. "Oh, so busted," he chuckled under his breath, following his friend out into the hall.

* * *

At the end of his shift, Danny was tired, he was grumpy, and thanks to his wife's overly enthusiastic greeting that morning, he had spent the entire day feeling sexually frustrated. He closed his eyes as he stepped outside the building that housed the lab, letting the cool night air wash over him before he made his way down into the overcrowded subway to make his way home.

As he was enjoying the prospect of heading home for a quiet night at home with his wife - a night that he hoped would result in some seriously hot sex - he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He smiled as he saw the text message from Lindsay.

_Out for drinks with the team at Sullivan's. Come join us, baby_.

Danny typed a quick message, letting her know he was on his way before he pocketed his phone and headed off toward their favourite bar.

* * *

Lindsay had headed home after work, calling Danny's mother and asking if it would be alright for her to keep Lucy over night, as she had plans to take Danny out for drinks with their friends, and she wasn't sure when they would be home. Maria had been overjoyed at the prospect of spending more time with her beloved granddaughter, and had told Lindsay not to worry, that she and Danny should enjoy themselves and Lucy and her Nona and Papa would have a quiet evening in.

Lindsay had quickly showered before taking a few moments to get herself dolled up. She hadn't meant for things to progress as far as they had that morning, but as soon as she'd wrapped her arms around Danny, and felt how much he wanted her, she hadn't been able to stop herself. And she truly did feel bad about leaving him in the lurch like that, but they could hardly have carried on with Flack sitting only a few feet away, with nothing but a flimsy shower curtain separating him from them.

She applied her makeup carefully before taking the time to curl her hair. When she was satisfied, she moved to the closet, wanting to choose the perfect outfit. She wanted to be hot, but she didn't want to appear trashy or slutty. She settled on a fitted black skirt with a sparkly purple tank top, which she paired with her favourite pair of strappy sandals. She knew her feet would be killing her by the end of the night, but seeing Danny's reaction to her in a skirt and heels was always worth it.

She turned so she could see her whole reflection in the mirror. She smiled as she ran her hands over her flat stomach. She had worked hard to lose her baby weight, and she was proud of her body. Not that it had mattered one bit to Danny. He had never failed to let her know how beautiful he thought she was, no matter how huge she got during her pregnancy.

Grabbing her jacket from the hall closet, Lindsay picked up her keys and her cell phone, shoving them into her purse before heading out the door and out into the night.

* * *

When she arrived at Sullivan's, Hawkes, Flack and Adam had raised their eyebrows at her appearance, Adam blushing slightly as she gave him a mile-wide grin.

"See something you like, boys?" she said, winking at them.

"Ah... um... you look really... um... really nice, Lindsay," Adam stammered nervously, not used to seeing his co-worker and friend in such tight fitting clothing.

"Thanks, Adam," she said. "I never get to dress up. Lucy tends to chose the rare times that I wear something nice to vomit all over me, so when I get the chance, I take it."

"Hey, kiddo! Looking good!" Stella said as she approached the table. "Wow. Nice shoes! Oh, my God. I seriously need to raid your closet, you look fantastic!"

"Thanks, Stell," Lindsay smiled, pulling Stella in for a hug. "You think Danny will like it?"

Stella nodded her head vigorously. "He's going to flip out. You look amazing! You'd never know you had a baby only a year ago."

Lindsay blushed at her friend's compliments. "Thanks, guys," she said as she took her seat. "So, what's the plan?"

"First, a round of drinks, on me!" Flack said, indicating to the bartender to bring over the group's usual drinks. "And then, Mrs. Messer, I am challenging you to a game of pool!"

"Oh, God," Lindsay groaned. "Seriously? You want me to kick your ass at pool _again_?" She shook her head in mock exasperation. "Alright, Don. If you insist."

Flack grinned at her across the table. "In your dreams, Messer. In your dreams."

The team sat around chatting and laughing until their drinks came. Then Flack got up and dragged Lindsay over to the pool table. "Alright," he said as he set up the table. "I'll be a gentleman and let you break. But after that, the gloves are off, and it's every man for himself. Got it?"

"Got it," Lindsay said as she placed her drink on the edge of the pool table, grabbing a cue from the rack and chalking the tip before moving around the table and getting set to break. "Get ready to lose, Flack," she quipped as she took her shot, sending the balls flying all over the table.

* * *

"Oh, stop being such a girl, Flack!" Lindsay crowed after winning her fourth straight game. "Come on, it's only a game, right?"

"When is your husband getting here to take you off my hands?" Flack grumbled, glancing down at his watch.

Lindsay grabbed her drink and took another sip, taking her phone from her purse and glancing at the time. She saw that it was 10 pm, and Danny should be getting off his shift right about now. Setting her drink down, she sent him a quick message, inviting him to join them at the bar. Mere seconds later, she received a return message from Danny.

_Just heading over now. See you soon, babe_. _Love you._

Lindsay grinned as she returned her phone to her purse. She finished her drink and raised her glass, letting the bartender know she was ready for another. She made her way to the table where her friends were sitting and talking loudly, their laughter ringing out across the bar.

"Danny on his way?" Stella asked, leaning over and talking in Lindsay's ear in an attempt to be heard over the raucous boys who were arguing about whether hockey or football was the superior sport.

"Yeah," Lindsay sighed, nodding her thanks to the bartender as he dropped her drink off to the table for her, clearing the empty glasses away before he left.

"We gotta do something about this, Stell," Lindsay said, her words slurring slightly as she spoke.

"Do something about what?" Stella asked.

"About me and Danny," Lindsay said. "I miss him. I mean, I know we work together, and everyone's been really supportive, but its hard only seeing him at work, never getting to spend any time with him at home, you know. I miss sitting and talking with him. I miss having dinner together. And I miss sex, Stella. You have no idea. He's so good in bed..."

"Whoa, whoa!" Flack said from his place on Lindsay's other side as he placed his hands over his ears. "Too much information! Linds!"

Lindsay turned and grinned at him. "You should talk," she said wagging her finger at him. "You are such a little gossip, Flack. Telling your little tales about the other night at our place, and trying to weasel the story behind that cowboy hat out of us!"

"Who, me?" Flack said, looking shocked and hurt. "I would never do such a thing!"

"Oh really?" Lindsay said, raising an eyebrow at him. "So it wasn't you that called my mother to try and get information out of her?"

Flack was stumped. His jaw gaped open at her words. He had been so careful to cover his tracks, but he had come to a dead end and had resorted to calling Dana Monroe to ask her, flat out, what the deal with the hat was. She had laughed at him and told him that from what Danny had told her about him, he needed to go out and get a hat of his own. Then she told him to say hi to Danny and Lindsay for her, before she promptly hung up on him.

"Yeah! I know all about it, Flack," Lindsay gloated. "Did you really think that my mother wouldn't tell me? She was laughing so hard she had to hang up and call me back later after she had calmed down."

"Shit," Flack said. "Shit! Dammit. You Montana girls always stick together!"

"And how many girls from Montana do you know, Flack?" Stella asked coyly, batting her eyelashes at him innocently.

"Oh, mind your own business, Bonasera!"

Lindsay smirked at Flack, feeling braver than normal thanks to the alcohol she had consumed.

"Tell you what, Flack," she said, leaning toward him. "We play one more game of pool, winner takes all. You win, and I'll tell you all about the cowboy hat. You lose, and you are my bitch for a week. You'll babysit, you'll clean my bathroom, and you'll wait on me and Danny and Lucy, hand and foot. What do you say?"

Flack considered for a moment before grinning at Lindsay. "It's a deal," he said, shaking her hand before they stood to start the next game.

**

* * *

**

Oooh! What's going to happen? Is Flack finally going to find out what the hat is all about? Does he really want to know? And I would love to hear your thoughts on the locker room scene! Thanks for reading, and I promise to update this story again as soon as possible! I won't keep you waiting for another week. :)


	23. Let's Get It On Part 2

**A/N: Hee hee. I'm so glad you all enjoyed Danny and Lindsay's locker room romp, even though Flack was a total mood-killer. I'm also really happy that you all liked the idea of Lindsay taking on Flack, and you're probably all wondering - will Flack ever find out about the hat? Or will Lindsay be victorious and have Flack at her beck and call for the next week? **

**What, do you think I'm going to tell you in an Author's Note? LOL. Do you know me at all? Read on, and all will be revealed! **

**PS: This chapter is a little on the long side. There was a lot I wanted to cover, and I hope I didn't ramble too much. Please enjoy! ;)**

* * *

Mac was just stepping into the elevator, heading home after a long shift when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. As the doors slid shut, he reached out and pressed the button for the lobby with one hand, while retrieving his phone with the other. Flipping it open, he saw a text message from Stella inviting him out for drinks with the team at Sullivan's. After the day he'd had, a few drinks out with friends was exactly what he needed. As the elevator descended, he quickly typed out a reply, letting Stella know he would be there in a few minutes.

The doors opened to reveal a quiet and calm lobby. It was such a contrast to the hustle and bustle that usually greeted him in the entrance to their busy building. As he walked through the front doors, he noticed a familiar figure standing on the curb, smiling down at his phone as he typed in a message. Obviously, Danny had just finished his shift as well, and judging by the fact that he turned away from the subway station that would take him home, Mac assumed that Danny was heading to Sullivan's as well.

"Danny!" Mac called out, catching the younger man's attention. "Hey, are you on your way to meet everyone at Sullivan's?" he asked as he walked up beside Danny.

"Hey, Mac," Danny greeted him, a smile on his face. "Yeah, Linds just texted me, so I'm heading there now. You wanna walk with me?"

"That'd be great, thanks," Mac replied, falling into step beside Danny. The two men chatted as they made their way up the street toward the bar. Although they'd been back for over a week, Mac hadn't really had a chance to catch up with either Danny or Lindsay to find out how their trip to Montana had been.

"Yeah, we had a great time, Mac," Danny said. "A really great time. It was pretty cool to see where Lindsay comes from, and to finally get to meet her folks."

"So, you got along well with the in-laws?" Mac asked.

"Oh, yeah," Danny replied, grinning back at Mac. "Yeah, Lindsay's mom is amazing. She's so sweet and loving, but she's got a wicked sense of humour too."

"Ah, so that's where Lindsay gets it from," Mac said, winking at Danny.

"Definitely," Danny chuckled, nodding his head.

"And her dad? How did you get along with him?"

Danny let out a sigh and smiled sheepishly at Mac. "I think he likes me," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "At least Lindsay says he does. He certainly got a lot of joy out of tormenting me, though. But actually, he's a really great guy, and I can't say I blame him for being over-protective of his little girl. I mean, I'm probably not exactly the type of guy they expected Lindsay to end up with, and the fact that I came home with all my limbs intact is a good sign, right?"

Mac laughed, shaking his head. "Give yourself a little credit, Danny," he said, clapping the younger man on the shoulder. "All they need to know is that you two love one another, and you work hard at your marriage. Plus, you have a beautiful little girl for them to spoil. What more can they ask?"

Danny smiled back at his boss. "Thanks, Mac," he said. They walked in companionable silence for a few moments before Danny spoke again. "Hey, Mac," he said quietly, "There's something that Lindsay and I were meaning to talk to you about."

"Oh, what's that?" Mac asked, turning his head to look at Danny as they walked.

"Well, we wanted to talk to you together, but," Danny paused, stopping in his tracks and running his fingers through his hair nervously.

"But?" Mac prompted him.

"But, well, we've both been so busy, we haven't really had a chance to do it yet. So, I guess, while I've got you here, I might as well bring it up."

Mac put his hand on Danny's shoulder, wanting to offer him some form of support. "Danny, is something wrong?" he asked, his concern evident in his voice. "Are you and Lindsay alright?"

Danny looked up at Mac. "What? Oh, no, it's nothing bad," he said. "Sorry, Mac. I didn't mean to scare you. It's just," Danny looked down at his feet, scuffing the soles of his shoes on the pavement as he tried to gather his thoughts. "Well, after spending so much time together in Montana, we realized how little time we actually get to be together when we're here in New York."

Mac waited, not wanting to interrupt Danny's train of thought. "And, we realized how important it is for all of us - me, Lindsay, and Lucy - to be able to spend more time together as... as a family."

A smile broke out on Mac's face as he watched Danny stammer and bluster through his little speech. Who would have thought, even a few short years ago, that Danny Messer would be asking to be able to spend more time together with his wife and daughter?

"Anyways, we were wondering - and we know it wouldn't happen right away, of course - but we were wondering if it would be possible to make our schedules a little more... compatible. Cause, see, this week, I've been on nights and Lindsay's been on days. Which is good for Lucy because it means that at least one of us is always home for at least part of the day. But..."

"But it's hard on a young marriage to have two people working opposing schedules," Mac said softly.

Danny looked up at Mac, nodding his head. "Yeah. It is," he agreed. "I mean, we really appreciate how supportive everyone has been, and we don't want special treatment at all. But, you know. It's hard when you only get to spend five minutes a day with your wife. Especially when those five minutes are spent analyzing blood spatter."

Mac grinned at Danny's comment. "Danny, I was married once too, you know. And I know how much it means to be able to take the time you need to be with your family. That was a mistake that I made with Claire - I let my work start to take over and didn't take the time to prioritize things. And when she died, I really wished that I had pulled back a bit and made more time for her." He patted Danny's shoulder, giving him a broad smile. "I'll see what I can do."

"Really?" Danny gave him a bright smile, his nerves suddenly evaporating. "Thanks, Mac!"

"Now, I can't promise anything, and I certainly can't give you the same shifts all the time."

"Understood," Danny nodded his head in agreement. "But anything you can do would be appreciated."

"Alright. Well, I don't know about you, but I'm getting thirsty, and I think I can our usual table calling my name. So, shall we?" Mac said, gesturing with his arm toward the bar only a block ahead.

Danny smiled and nodded, as they turned and continued on their way to the bar.

* * *

"Oh, you are so going down, Flack! Getting your ass kicked by a girl, _again_!"

"Shut up, Adam!" Flack grumbled, moving around the table and trying to decide on his next shot. He still had five balls left on the table, to Lindsay's two. He needed to make a few decent shots if he wanted to have a chance to beat her.

"Come, on already, Flack!" Lindsay laughed from across the pool table. "You're going to lose anyways. You might as well get it over with while you still have your dignity!"

"I'm gonna make you eat those words, _Montana_," Flack growled at her as he lined up his shot.

"Hey! I'm the only one that gets to call her that," said a familiar Staten Island accent from behind him.

"Danny!" Lindsay squealed, shoving her pool cue into Stella's hand as she ran as fast as her stiletto-clad feet would carry her around the table to where Danny was standing.

"Hey, baby," Danny said as Lindsay threw herself into his arms, peppering his jaw with kisses. "Whoa! Somebody's happy to see me!" he chuckled. "I'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you've had a few drinks there, sweetie."

"Just a couple," Lindsay giggled into his neck, causing Flack to scoff.

"A couple? Danno, I think you're wife almost drank the bar dry."

"Oh, please!" Lindsay protested. She turned back to Danny. "He's just jealous because he can't hold his liquor like I can."

"Lindsay, please. I'm Irish," Flack said. "I can hold my liquor. Now will you please shut up so I can take my shot?"

Giggling at Flack as he turned back to the pool table, Lindsay leaned against Danny's chest, breathing in the scent of his cologne mixed with the musty smell of his leather jacket. "Mmm," she said, burying her nose in the crook of his neck. "You smell so good, baby."

"Yeah, he better smell good. He had a nice long shower this afternoon, if you remember," Flack shot out over his shoulder.

"Stop stalling and take your damn shot, Flack!" Lindsay laughed as she untangled herself from her husband and took his hand, leading him over to the other side of the table and taking her pool cue back from Stella.

"Hey Stell," Danny said, smiling at his co-worker and friend as he moved to stand beside her as she watched the game in progress. On her other side, Hawkes and Adam were trying to work out the angles of the balls remaining on the table, scribbling figures and diagrams out on a slightly soggy bar napkin as they tried to determine if Flack had a snowball's chance in hell of beating Lindsay.

"Hey, Danny," Stella smiled at him. "Glad you made it, and I see you brought a friend!" She gestured at Mac who had just sidled up to the group, a questioning look on his face at the intensity of the game between Flack and Lindsay.

"Hi guys," Mac said. "Um... do I want to know what's going on here?" he asked, pointing at the pool table where Flack was still in the process of carefully lining up his shot, while Lindsay drummed her fingers impatiently on the wooden edge of the table.

"Probably not," Stella smiled. "But Danny, I'd say you have a vested interest in the outcome."

"Oh yeah?" Danny asked, confusion evident on his face. "What d'ya mean?"

As Stella explained the stakes to Danny, his eyebrows shot upward. "What? Oh, my God. Lindsay!" he shouted, catching his wife's attention.

"Yeah, baby?" Lindsay asked, turning around and giving him a flirty little smile.

"Don't you '_yeah, baby_' me," Danny said. "Is it true? What Stella says about your bet with Flack?"

Lindsay grinned at him, nodding her head vigorously. "Uh huh," she said before turning her attention back to the game.

"Jesus Christ," Danny muttered to himself. "I can't leave those two alone for five minutes before they start one-upping one another."

"And that's why you love them," Stella said, smiling at Danny. "You wouldn't want either of them any other way."

Danny sighed, casting his eyes to the pool table, where Flack had finally taken his shot, hooting in triumph as his ball rolled into the corner pocket. "I guess you're right," he said, grinning as his wife and best friend engaged in a verbal sparring battle that seemed to get louder the longer the game went on.

* * *

"Nooooooooooo!"

"I win! I win!" Lindsay crowed as she did a little victory dance. "Ha ha! Suck it, Flack!"

"Fuck! Fuck! I can't believe I lost!" Flack moaned, his head in his hands.

"Don't you mean you can't believe you lost... _again_?" Hawkes asked, giving Flack a conciliatory pat on the back.

"Oh, fuck off!" Flack said. He looked over to where Lindsay stood, a wicked grin on her face. "What are you smirking at, Messer?" he growled.

"Oh, nothing," Lindsay said innocently. "Just thinking about all the chores I have for you to do around my house... the fridge needs to be cleaned out, there's loads of laundry to be done, and of course my bathroom needs a good, hard scrub!" She turned to Danny, who was smiling down at her. "Who's the best wife ever?"

"Um... hmm," Danny said, pretending to think.

"Danny!"

"Just kidding, babe," he said, laughing as she swatted at him. "It's you, of course. But I already knew that before you handed Flack his ass on a platter."

She grinned, throwing her arms around his waist and pulling him into a tight hug. Looking at his friend over her shoulder, Danny offered a few words of wisdom.

"Hey, Flack," he said. "Take it from me, buddy. Never bet against a country girl... especially at pool. I learned a long time ago that she always wins."

Flack rolled his eyes at his friend, grabbing his beer from the table and taking a long swig.

"Hey, Don. Would you be a dear and get me another drink?"

Flack glared at Lindsay. "Messer, your woman wants a drink. Better go get one for her."

"No, no, no!" Stella chimed in. "I distinctly remember the terms of the bet, Flack. You," she poked a finger at his chest, "are her bitch. And she wants a drink. So get going."

"You guys suck," Flack whined, taking out his wallet and checking his cash before heading over to the bar. "You know I never would have held you to the bet if _I _had won."

"Oh, please!" Danny said. "I call bullshit! You would have been all over us to give up the secret, so don't even try to play innocent, buddy."

Flack paused, thinking for a moment. "Yeah, I would have." He grinned back at them before heading over to the bar. "You want anything Dan?"

"Nah, I'm good," Danny said. "One of us has got to be the responsible parent and stay relatively sober before we head home." Turning to Lindsay, he tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "How much later are we gonna be, Linds? I mean, my mom and dad aren't gonna wait up all night for us to pick Lucy up."

Lindsay smiled coyly at him, running her hands up his back, underneath his leather jacket.

"I called your mom, and Lucy is staying the night with them."

"Oh really?" Danny asked, arching his eyebrows at her. "So that means..."

"Just you an me, baby," she replied, leaning in and kissing his jaw.

"Wow. You really are the best wife ever."

"Mmm. Feel free to thank me later," she murmured in his ear, her hands trailing down from his back as she slid her fingers down into his back pockets, giving his ass a little squeeze.

"Jesus, Linds," Danny chuckled, grabbing her wrists and pulling her hands off of his ass. "You can't do that to me in public unless you're prepared to get arrested for indecent exposure. And right now, I'm pretty sure Flack would be more than happy to oblige. You're not exactly his favourite person."

Lindsay looked up at him, sticking her lower lip out. "But I missed you today," she pouted. "And I deserve a little treat for kicking Flack's ass."

Danny wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close once again. "And I promise to thank you properly when we get home," he whispered in her ear. "But you need to behave yourself if you want your treat."

He heard her sigh as he pressed light, feathery kisses to her neck. "Mmm... okay. I promise," she said. "But we better be going home soon. I'm horny, and my feet hurt."

Danny let out a loud laugh. "That's a pretty wicked combination, babe," he said. He pulled away, looking down at her feet in her sexy, strappy heels. As his eyes trailed back up her body, he felt a longing building up inside of him at the sight of his wife in her glittery top and tight black skirt that hugged her in all the right places. "Damn," he mumbled, his brain suddenly unable to find the right words to describe how amazing she looked. "Wow. Just... damn."

"You like?" she asked, giving him a little twirl. She smirked as she watched Danny's eyes rake over her body, clearly appreciative of the effort she had put into her appearance.

"Yeah," he managed to choke out after clearing his throat. "Yeah, I like a lot. Wow. You look so fucking hot, Montana."

"Not so bad yourself there, cowboy," Lindsay said, fingering the green t-shirt he had changed into at the end of his shift. "You're wearing my favourite shirt."

"Yeah, yeah. We get it," Flack said, rolling his eyes as he walked up to them and handed Lindsay her drink. "You two are the hottest couple ever. Now either go get a room and stop feeling each other up in public, or behave yourselves and come and sit down with the rest of us."

As Flack stomped off to join the rest of the team who had resumed their places at their usual table, Lindsay turned to Danny and grinned. "Kind of a sore loser, isn't he?"

"What can I say?" Danny said, shrugging his shoulders. "He's got issues."

Laughing, they made their way over to the table to join their friends.

* * *

"God, aren't they just too cute?" Stella asked wistfully as she watched Danny and Lindsay swaying together on the dance floor, Lindsay's head resting on Danny's shoulder, her arms around his neck as he held her close.

"It's nice to see them both so happy," Mac said, glancing over at the couple who were blissfully unaware that they were the topic of discussion amongst their friends.

"Ugh," Flack grunted. "They make me want to vomit and then put it in my eyes."

"Ew! Flack, that's disgusting!" Adam sputtered as he choked on the beer he had been sipping.

"Not only disgusting, but very unsanitary," Hawkes said, winking at Stella and Mac who were laughing at Flack's surly mood.

"Oh, shut up, Doc," Flack said. "Why can't you all just leave me alone and let me wallow in my misery?"

"Oh, where's the fun in that?" Mac asked.

"It was only a game, Flack," Stella said, patting his shoulder comfortingly.

"Yeah, I know," he sighed. "But I really wanted to know what is so freaking special about that damn hat! And I was this close," he said, holding up his hand, his thumb and index finger a fraction of an inch apart.

"You really weren't that close, Flack," Adam said, laughing at the murderous look he got from Flack. "What? She was totally kicking your butt all night long!"

"Well, maybe next time," Mac said, laughing at the expression on Flack's face.

"There isn't going to be a next time!" he protested. "The woman is some kind of evil genius when it comes to pool. She can't be beat! It's impossible!"

"What's impossible?" Danny asked, walking over to the table hand-in-hand with Lindsay.

"Your wife is impossible," Flack muttered under his breath.

"Seriously? You're still sulking?" Lindsay laughed, sitting down in the chair beside Flack. "And I thought Lucy held the record for pouting, but she doesn't hold a candle to you, Don."

Flack rolled his eyes. "I am not pouting. I'm just..."

"Wallowing in your misery?" Hawkes said helpfully.

"God, you people are impossible!" Flack said, standing up and heading toward the bar for a refill on his drink.

"I think I'm going to get another drink too," Lindsay said, standing up. "You want anything, Dan?"

"Yeah, I'll have a beer. Thanks, Linds," he said. She smiled at him and pressed a quick kiss to his lips before heading over to join Flack at the bar.

As the conversation continued around him, Danny watched as his wife walked away, mesmerized by the sway of her hips in her tight skirt and the way her legs looked a mile long thanks to the high heels she was wearing.

As she approached the bar, he saw her move in beside Flack, placing her hand on his arm to get his attention. They talked for a moment, then she leaned forward and cupped her hand around his ear, whispering something to him before standing back and waiting for his reaction.

* * *

"Hey, Don?" Lindsay said, approaching him at the bar.

At the touch of her hand on his arm, he turned toward her. "Hey, Linds," he said. "Listen, you know I'm not really mad, right? You won, fair and square."

Lindsay smiled back at him. "I know," she said. "But hey, listen. Do you still want to know about the hat?"

"What? Oh, my God. Yes!" Flack said. "Please, dear God. Put me out of my misery! What the hell is so special about it?"

"And you promise not to tell anyone else?"

Flack nodded his head eagerly.

Lindsay leaned forward and whispered her secret into his ear. She stood back and watched as his expression changed from one of intrigue, to confusion, and finally to pure shock and revulsion.

"Ew!" he said, scrunching up his face, the volume of his voice causing the people around them to turn and stare.

"Shh!" Lindsay laughed. "You promised to keep it to yourself!"

"Ew!" Flack repeated, more quietly this time. "Oh, gross! The Baby Maker? Oh my God!" he shivered as realization hit him. "Oh, man! I touched it! With my own hands! Gross!"

Lindsay laughed, turning back to the table to see Danny sitting staring at her, a huge grin on his face as he winked back at her.

"So, now you know," Lindsay chuckled, turning back to Flack. "Was it worth it?"

"Ugh. I feel dirty. You two are animals, you know that right?"

"What's the problem?" Lindsay asked, her eyes glinting with mischief. "I mean you sat on our couch before and never had a problem with it."

"Yeah but that's..." Flack paused, processing what Lindsay had just said. "Ew! Ew, ew, ew! Oh, gross. Remind me to bring my own furniture the next time I come visit you two."

"Speaking of visiting us, you can come over and get started on cleaning our place around noon tomorrow, okay? I'll make a list for you."

"You are a mean, mean woman, Lindsay Messer," Flack said, shaking his head.

Lindsay grinned wickedly back at him before turning on her heel and making her way back to the table, pulling out her chair and sitting down beside Danny.

"How'd he take it?" he asked, leaning in so he could whisper in her ear.

"How did it look like he took it?" Lindsay asked.

"It wasn't as loud as I expected, actually," Danny replied. "I'm kind of disappointed."

Lindsay giggled as she rested her head against Danny's shoulder, cuddling into his side as he slid his arm around her.

"You getting tired, baby?" he asked, placing a soft kiss to her temple. "You want me to take you home?"

"Hmm? No, I'm not tired," she replied, running her hand up and down Danny's thigh. "But I do want you to take me home, cowboy."

"Yes ma'am," Danny said, standing up and taking off his jacket before wrapping it around Lindsay's shoulders.

"You guys heading out?" Stella asked.

"Yeah, I think we're done for the night," Danny replied.

"Night guys," Lindsay said, waving at their friends as they turned to leave the bar. "See you tomorrow, Don!" she called out to Flack, who was still sitting at the bar, trying to drink away the mental pictures of The Baby Maker from his mind.

Taking Danny's offered hand in hers, they turned and left the bar, stepping out into the cool night air.

* * *

"Fuck, Linds. I can't concentrate when you do that!" Danny protested as he tried to jam the key into the door of their apartment.

"You'd better hurry up then," Lindsay replied, her hands buried deep inside his front pockets, her arms wrapped around him from behind, her lips leaving a trail of moist kisses along his bare neck. "Because I want you so badly, baby. And I'm prepared to do it in the hall if you don't open this door in five seconds."

"Finally!" Danny said, turning the key in the lock and shoving the front door open. He hurried into the apartment with Lindsay still firmly attached to his back. Once they were inside he grabbed her wrists, pulling her hands from where they had been teasing his cock from inside his pockets. He turned around in her arms and pushed her back against the door, slamming it shut in the process.

He was still holding her wrists, and he lifted her arms above her head, changing his grip so that he could hold both of her hands in one of his. He pressed himself up against her and used his free hand to explore her body, running his fingers along the delicate neckline of her top before trailing his fingers over her breasts, feeling her nipples harden at his touch.

"Oh, Danny! Please, no teasing tonight. Just fuck me, please!"

"That's a dangerous request, Montana," Danny replied, lowering his head to devour her neck, grazing the delicate skin with his teeth as he sucked and nipped from her collarbone to her jaw. "I might just have to take you up on that."

His hand skimmed further down her body, coming to rest on her slim hip before moving around behind her and squeezing her ass.

"Danny! I need you baby!"

"Yeah? How badly do you need me?" he asked, his hand gliding down from her ass to the hem of her skirt.

"So badly," she whimpered as she felt his fingers begin to move up the inside of her thigh. She moaned as he traced circles with his fingers, teasing her, going so slowly up her leg. She writhed, arching her body against his, wanting to feel more of him. The friction of her movements against his erection caused Danny to let out a low moan.

"God, Lindsay," he breathed into her ear. "You are so fucking gorgeous. You have no idea how hot you look tonight."

"It's all for you, baby," Lindsay panted, the tension in her body increasing as Danny's fingers inched further between her legs. Finally, she felt his fingers reach their destination and she let out a loud moan as he skimmed his fingers along her slit.

"Oh, fuck me, baby," he groaned as his fingers met her wet skin and delicate curls instead of the fabric he had been expecting. "No panties?"

"No panties," she whispered, leaning forward and nipping at his lower lip, pulling it into her mouth and sucking hard. She felt the hand that was holding her arms captive loosen and she took the opportunity to wrap her arms around his neck, running her fingers through his hair. She pulled him close as she released his lip and locked her mouth with his in a fierce and hungry kiss.

She felt Danny hitch her skirt up before lifting her up and wrapping her legs around his waist, one hand still buried between her thighs as he began to pump his fingers in and out of her.

"Best. Wife. Ever." He whispered in her ear after breaking their kiss, timing his words to match the strokes of his fingers as he brought her closer to her orgasm.

"Oh, God!" Lindsay panted. "I want your cock inside me now," she demanded. "Please!"

Danny removed his hand from between her thighs, anchoring Lindsay against the door with his upper body while he made short work of undoing his fly and dropping his pants around his ankles, his boxers following close behind.

"Wait!" Lindsay panted as she felt the tip of Danny's erection pressing against her entrance.

"Wait?" Danny asked, his lust addled brain not quite capable of processing her request. "Why?"

Lindsay stroked his cheeks gently, shivering at the feeling of his soft stubble against the palms of her hands. "Get the hat," she whispered.

"Now?" Danny asked.

"I want you to wear it, cowboy," she whispered. "Please, baby?"

"It's a good thing I love you so much," Danny grumbled, kicking his pants and boxers off his ankles before hooking his hands under Lindsay's backside. "Hold on, Montana," he said as he shuffled over to the table where the hat lay. "You wanna grab that, babe?" he asked. "My hands are kind of busy right now."

"Gladly," Lindsay said, leaning down and picking up the hat, placing in on Danny's head. "Fuck, you are so hot, baby," she breathed, feeling the heat inside of her rise exponentially at the sight of him.

"Happy to oblige, ma'am," Danny grinned, winking at her. "Now, if it's alright with you, I was in the middle of having mind-blowing sex with my smoking hot wife."

"Mmm," Lindsay said, leaning forward and sucking on the patch of skin just below Danny's ear. "As you were, cowboy."

Danny was about to move into the bedroom, but Lindsay stopped him.

"No, baby," she whispered in his ear. "On the couch."

Danny moved across the living room, gently lowering Lindsay onto the couch without breaking the contact between their bodies. He lowered himself on top of her, hiking her legs up around his waist, her heels pressing into his ass as he slowly pushed his painfully aroused erection into her slick opening.

"Oh my God!" he exclaimed at the sensation of finally feeling his wife surrounding him. "Montana, you feel so good, baby," he panted as he began to slowly withdraw from her.

"Faster," she panted bucking her hips up to meet him, encouraging him to quicken his pace. "Oh, fuck. Fuck! Danny! God, your cock feels so good!"

"Tell me," Danny said, his thrusts coming hard and fast as he felt the tension inside of him building quickly. "Tell me how good it feels."

"So fucking good, Danny," Lindsay panted, wrapping her arms around Danny's shoulders, pulling him closer to her and scratching her short nails down his back. Even though the fabric of his t-shirt, the sensation sent goosebumps all over his body. "I love it when you fuck me hard, baby. I love feeling your hard cock inside of me."

"Fuck," Danny breathed. "I love feeling you so wet for me, baby. It's so fucking hot."

"Deeper! Please, Danny. I need you deeper!"

Danny moved one arm from where he was still cradling Lindsay's back and moved up to her leg, unwrapping one leg from around his waist, lifting it and hooking her knee over his shoulder so he could get a better angle. As soon as he began thrusting once again, Lindsay's entire body arched up to him and she let out a wild scream of ecstasy.

"Oh! Danny, right there! Right there! Oh, fuck! More! I need you more!"

Danny continued to pump in and out of his wife. Her eyes were locked with his, her mouth open as little gasps of pleasure escaped from her lips, her fingers digging into his shoulder blades as she clung to him, urging him to continue.

"Baby, you okay?" Danny asked.

"Fuck, I'm gonna come!" was Lindsay's response as her entire body tensed and he felt her muscles contracting around him as he continued his thrusts. She cried out his name over and over again, her body arching up into his as he rode her through her orgasm. He knew he would have bruises on his back from where her fingers had been digging in, but he didn't care. The way she was writhing beneath him and the sexy noises she was making were worth it.

"Oh, my God!" she panted as she came down from her high. "Fuck me, you are so amazing!"

He grinned down at her before closing his eyes, trying to concentrate on his own hard fought and long-awaited release.

"Can I do something to help you, baby?" Lindsay asked, running her fingers through his hair, sensing he was so close, but just couldn't make it over the edge yet.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "No, I'm fine. I just... need... a minute..." he panted as he continued to move inside of her.

"Danny, open your eyes," Lindsay said. He did as she requested, just in time to watch her hand disappear between them, and he felt her gentle fingers caressing his balls.

"Oh, God!" he panted. "Lindsay, please... keep doing that!"

She continued to massage him gently, cupping his balls in her hand and skimming her other hand up his chest to tease his nipples with her fingers through the fabric of his shirt.

"Fuck! Oh, my God!" Danny called out as he finally found his release, the knot in his stomach that had been building up for days finally uncoiling as his orgasm surged through his body. He stilled his movements, letting Lindsay's fingers continue to stimulate him until he collapsed, exhausted and spent, on top of her. "Fuck. Holy shit," he panted. "That was fantastic, Linds."

She smiled up at him, fingering the brim of the cowboy hat before she removed it from his head and flung it across the room. "Was it worth the wait?" she asked.

He lifted himself up on his arms and moved so that he could curl up beside her on the couch, her back pressed against his front. He nodded his head and pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder. "Definitely," he replied. "Much hotter than dirty, desperate, locker room shower sex."

She giggled. "It would have been awesome though," she said, taking his hand in hers and toying with his wedding band.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Sex with you is always awesome, though," he said.

"Mmm," Lindsay agreed, nodding her head as her eyelids began to droop.

"Come on, Montana," Danny said, sitting up and hoisting her up in his arms before standing and making his way into the bedroom. "Time for bed."

"But I'm not tired," Lindsay protested, emphasizing her point with a huge yawn.

"Right. Not tired at all," Danny said rolling his eyes as he lowered her to the bed, unzipping her skirt and pulling it down before helping her out of the rest of her clothes. He pulled their downy comforter up around her before taking off his shirt and wifebeater, tossing them into the laundry hamper, and crawling into bed beside her.

**

* * *

**

:D

**So? Were we all satisfied with the outcome? Was Flack sufficiently bitchy about losing? And suitably horrified at the revelation of The Baby Maker?**

**And did we enjoy the smut? To quote Lindsay - "Was it worth the wait?"**

**Let me know!**


	24. Good Morning, Sunshine

**A/N: Hello my lovelies! Oh, my goodness. So, I seem to have gotten you all riled up after the last chapter. *Winks* I'm glad that it was worth the wait, and that you all got a kick out of the results of the showdown between Lindsay and Flack!**

**Oh, and after the response I got, drunk Lindsay will *definitely* be making a re-appearance in a future chapter (or two... or more!). You guys are too hilarious! And I am glad that you all seemed to enjoy the return of The Baby Maker. You knew it was coming, didn't you? I mean, it was inevitable! **

**So, how do we continue after a chapter like that? Well... *thinks*... How about a healthy dose of Lucy to counterbalance the smut from last chapter? What do you think? Oh, you agree? Good. Because that's what you're getting! ;)**

**Enjoy, and thank you so much for your amazing reviews. You are just... awesome!**

* * *

Lindsay moaned in agony as she rolled over onto her back, shielding her eyes with her arm as the sunlight pouring through the window attacked her. After promising herself that she would never, ever, _ever _drink again, Lindsay cracked open one eye, looking over at Danny's side of the bed. A huge smile graced her lips at the sight in front of her.

Danny was no where to be found, but in his place, resting on his pillow, was a beautiful white daisy and a note. She reached out, taking the flower in her hand and bringing it to her face, inhaling its beautiful, delicate, floral scent. With her other hand she picked up the note, squinting as her eyes adjusted enough to read Danny's handwriting.

_Hey Gorgeous,_

_I hope you slept well. It kills me to get out of bed and leave you all alone, looking so beautiful.  
But I know you'll be hungry when you wake up, and we don't have any food in the house, so I'm going to grab some groceries and go pick up Lucy.  
__Enjoy your morning, baby.  
Relax, take it easy, and keep the bed warm for me.  
When me and Lucy get back, we're making you breakfast._

_Love you sweetheart,  
__Danny _

She knew that she was grinning like an idiot as she read, and then re-read the note, absorbing each loving word her husband had left for her. She leaned over and placed the daisy in the empty glass on her bedside table, tucking Danny's note under her pillow as she snuggled back under the covers, quickly falling back to sleep.

* * *

When she woke again, she could smell breakfast cooking out in the kitchen. The delicious smell of bacon frying in the pan wafted down the hall and through the bedroom door, which was slightly ajar. She smiled as she heard Lucy giggle at something Danny had said or done, and his carefree laugh at his daughter's reaction.

"Are you laughing at Daddy, Lucy?" he asked. "Are you?"

"Dada! Again!" Lucy squealed, and Lindsay could hear the sound of her little girl clapping her hands together in glee at whatever it was that Danny had done.

"Sorry, Lucybear," Danny said. "It's time to go wake Mommy up, okay. Are you ready?"

"We 'prisin' Mama?" Lucy asked, and Lindsay could hear the mischievous and exited giggle in her daughter's voice.

"We sure are, Luce. But we gotta be quiet, okay? Can you do that for Daddy?"

"Yup."

"Good girl. Okay, let's go, Lucy."

Hearing the clinking of dishes on the tray and the soft pad of Danny's footsteps on the floor, Lindsay dove back under the covers, feigning sleep and trying to give no sign that she had overheard their conversation.

"Come on, Lucy," Danny whispered, and Lindsay listened to the patter of her little girl running as fast as her little legs would carry her down the hall toward the bedroom. She heard the soft creak of the bedroom door opening and the shuffle of feet on the carpet. Danny rested the breakfast tray on the top of her dresser before he turned to Lucy who was trying to scramble up onto the bed.

"Up! Up, Dada!" Lindsay could hear the frustration in Lucy's little voice as she struggled to climb onto the bed. "Dada! P'ease!"

Peeking out from under the covers, Lindsay watched as Danny bent down and swooped Lucy up into his arms, growling playfully as he pretended to nibble on her tummy. Lucy squealed and giggled as she squirmed in his arms. Then he sat down on the side of the bed, leaning back and resting against his pillows, sitting Lucy on his lap.

"Lucy, where's Mommy?" he asked, looking down and catching Lindsay's eye from her hiding place under the blankets, giving her a little wink. "I don't see her anywhere. Can you find her?"

"Mama!" Lucy said, crawling out of Danny's arms and over to where Lindsay lay. "Mama! Where go?"

Lindsay pulled the blankets down off her face, smiling up at her daughter. "Here I am!" she said, laughing at the surprised look on Lucy's face. "Surprise!"

"Tada!" Lucy giggled, clapping her hands. "Mama!"

"Hi sweetie!" Lindsay said, sitting up and pulling Lucy into her arms, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "Oh, I missed you. Did you have fun with Nona and Papa?"

"Yup!" Lucy said. "Papa haw-see."

"Did you play horseys with Papa?" Lindsay asked, grinning as Lucy nodded her head eagerly.

Lindsay smiled down at her daughter before turning to Danny who was watching his two girls with a mile-wide smile on his face.

"Good morning," she said, leaning in and pursing her lips, silently asking him for a kiss.

"Mornin' honey," Danny said, pressing his lips to hers in a soft and loving kiss. "Did you have a good sleep?"

"Mmm hmm," Lindsay said, smiling up at him. "But I missed you this morning. Thank you for the flower. It was beautiful."

"You're welcome," Danny replied, brushing a stray strand of hair out of her face. "You looked so peaceful that I just couldn't wake you up."

"Well, you wore me out last night, baby," she said, smirking up at him.

"Oh, I did, did I?" Danny asked, cocking his eyebrow at her. "I seem to remember it was you who instigated the whole thing yesterday afternoon at work."

"Yeah, well," Lindsay chuckled, shrugging her shoulders. "That's neither here nor there. All that matters is that last night was amazing, baby. I love you so much."

"Love you too, Linds," he replied, leaning in and capturing her lips with his own. Their kiss started off sweet, but quickly progressed into something more as Lindsay snaked her hand up to his neck, running her fingers through the hairs on the back of his head.

"Yucky. No dat."

The sound of their daughter's voice broke the spell of their intimate moment. Turning to look down, Danny couldn't hold back the laugh that escaped him at the look of disgust on Lucy's face as she scrunched up her nose. "No dat, Dada. Yucky."

"I'm gonna murder Flack," Lindsay whispered into Danny's ear, grinning as he leaned forward to pick Lucy up.

"None of what, Lucy?" he asked peppering her face with soft kisses. "None of this? Or this? Or this?"

Lucy let out a shriek of laughter as Danny continued to shower her with kisses.

"No more spending time alone with Uncle Don," Danny said, wagging his finger at Lucy. "He's a bad influence on you."

Lucy grinned back at him before crawling out of his arms once again and heading toward the side of the bed.

"Whoa, Luce," Danny said, pulling her back from where she was about to topple over the edge. "Where you going, kiddo?"

"Hungwee!" Lucy bellowed, pointing at her tummy. "Hungwee now!"

"Okay, sweetie," Danny said. "But you can just tell Daddy nicely. You don't have to yell, okay?"

Lucy looked up at him, sticking out her bottom lip. He sighed, pulling her back onto his lap. "Come on, Luce," he encouraged her. "Use your words and ask nicely. Daddy doesn't like it when you yell at him."

"Hungwee now," Lucy shouted, in full on pout-mode now.

"I know you're hungry, baby," Lindsay said. "But you know it's not nice to talk to Daddy like that. Now, what's the magic word?"

"Hungwee... now."

Danny handed Lucy over to Lindsay, rolling his eyes as he got up from the bed. "Oh, well," he said as he retrieved the tray from the top of the dresser. "I guess Lucy doesn't want any of the delicious breakfast that we made for Mommy."

Lindsay glanced down at Lucy who's eyes were wide as she looked at the pancakes and bacon on the tray.

"Mommy, would you like some breakfast?" Danny asked, settling himself back down on the bed, resting the tray on his bedside table and placing some pancakes and bacon on a plate for Lindsay.

"Oh, yes please," Lindsay said, winking at Danny as she accepted her plate. "Oh, yummy! I love pancakes! Thank you, Daddy."

Lucy looked up at her parents, licking her lips as she watched Lindsay place another forkful in her mouth. She turned to Danny, crawling over to him and resting her tiny hand on his leg.

"Dada, Yoo-see cake?"

"Oh, Lucy!" Danny said as if he'd just noticed she was there. "Did you want some pancakes too?"

"Ya!" she said.

"I can't hear you!" Danny sing-songed.

"Dada, cake p'ease?" Lucy asked again.

Danny smiled down at his little girl. "Of course you can have some pancakes, sweetie," he said, pulling her back onto his lap and placing a pancake on her plate, cutting it up before he poured a tiny amount of syrup over top. "But Daddy's going to help you, okay? Because eating pancakes in bed is a special treat."

Lucy nodded her head and Danny smiled as she opened her mouth, smacking her lips loudly when Danny fed her a spoonful of pancake. "Nom, nom!" she said. "More p'ease!"

Lindsay smiled at the pair of them as she cleaned her plate. When she was done, she reached over and got some pancakes ready for Danny, pouring syrup over the top and adding two pieces of bacon to the dish.

"Come here, baby," she said, cutting off a small piece with the edge of the fork. "You must be hungry too. You've been busy this morning." She smiled as she held out the morsel of food for him, feeling her heart beat faster as he leaned forward and brought his lips to the fork, taking the sweet and sticky pancake into his mouth.

"Mmm," he said. "Thank you, honey." A drop of syrup clung to his lower lip and his tongue darted out of his mouth, licking up the sugary syrup. He winked at her, causing her stomach to do a little flip-flop. Then he looked down at Lucy as he scooped up the last bite from her plate, holding the spoon up to her mouth. "I think our pancakes were pretty good, don't you Luce?"

"Mmm! Nummy!" Lucy grinned as she chewed, her face covered in syrup despite Danny's best efforts.

"I'll go get a cloth for her," Lindsay said, pushing back the covers and heading for the bathroom. Danny heard the water running in the bathroom, and Lindsay returned with a damp cloth in her hands. She sat down on the edge of the bed, moving the tray out of the way before wiping Lucy's sticky face, smiling as her daughter squirmed.

"No! All done! All done!" Lucy whined.

"Lucy, you're all sticky, sweetie," Lindsay said. "Either you let Mommy wash your face, or you're going to have to have a bath. The choice is yours, baby."

Lucy looked up at Lindsay, then down at the dreaded washcloth. Raising a chubby finger, she pointed at the cloth. "Dis, p'ease," she said.

Lindsay chuckled as she began to dab at Lucy's face once more. "I thought so."

Once Lucy was cleaned up, Lindsay went back to the washroom to put the cloth away. As she turned back to the bedroom, she heard a knock on the door. Walking out into the living room, she peeked through the peephole in the door, doubling over with laughter at what she saw.

"Oh, my God!" she called out. "Danny, come here. You have to see this!"

* * *

Flack woke up that morning with a splitting headache.

"Man, I am getting too old to go out drinking like that," he said out loud to himself.

He turned his head and looked at the clock. It was just after 11. He sighed as he sat up and heaved himself out of bed, shuffling into the bathroom for a shower to help clear his head.

As he stood under the spray of hot water, Flack couldn't help but smile. Although he was paying for it this morning, he'd had a great time the night before. He loved nothing more than spending an evening in the company of his friends, laughing and joking with them. And even though he'd made a stink about it last night, he really wasn't all that torn up about losing to Lindsay. She'd beaten his ass, fair and square.

And she'd been a good sport, letting him in on their little secret, even though he'd lost. He suspected that she and Danny had decided that he would suffer more if he knew than if they continued to keep him in the dark. Those two were seriously evil.

He felt slightly vindicated at the knowledge that he'd been right - there was something about that hat. He'd known from the first moment he'd overheard Danny talking about it on the phone that it was more than Danny was letting on. But really, _The Baby Maker? _Ew. Despite all the effort he'd put into finding out about it, he kind of wished he'd just minded his own damn business, and left well enough alone. Because now that he knew, flashes of his friends _using _said Baby Maker kept popping into his head.

And their couch? Now _that _was ruined for him forever too. He shook his head, trying to rid himself of the unwanted images that kept flashing through his mind. He wasn't a prude - he loved sex as much as the next man - and he would never want to deny two of his best friends the happiness they found with one another. But there was such a thing as too much information!

He sighed. He'd lost the bet to Lindsay, and he had promised himself that he would man up and fulfill his end of the bargain. She'd said he should be at their place around noon, and he would be there. On time. With bells on. No one could say that Donald Flack Jr. shirked on a bet. A sly grin spread across his face as he looked at his reflection in the mirror. If they could have a little fun at his expense, then surely there was no harm in having a little fun at theirs. But he would have to come up with something really good.

Stepping out of the shower and wrapping a towel around himself, he had a thought. It was a wicked thought. An evil thought. A truly side-splittingly hilarious thought. As he padded back down the hall to his bedroom, he made a mental list of the things he would need to pick up.

He smirked to himself as he got dressed. This was going to be awesome.

**

* * *

**

So, I should explain. If the beginning with Lucy seems a little... overly sweet (is that even possible? LOL) it's because one of my best friends just got a new puppy and I spent the better part of my evening in gorgeous, blissful, adorable puppy heaven. So when I got home I was just in the mood for fluff. A lot of fluff.

**And then, for good measure, a heaping dose of a slightly hungover and somewhat vengeful Flack with something up his sleeve! Ha ha! What could it be? I'd love to hear your theories!**

**I hope you enjoyed it! Please let me know, because, as usual I love to hear from you!**


	25. Be Prepared

**A/N: *Peeks out from under the bed***

**Hi guys. So, I know I've been kind of MIA for a few days, and I apologize for that. Just a few things going on here that made real life take the front seat for a while. That, paired with the fact that I was suffering from a MAJOR case of writer's block. Thankfully, I made myself sit down and write, and once I started, the floodgates opened and things started coming to me left, right, and centre! **

**Thank you all for your patience, and for your lovely reviews! I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter! I had such a great time reading your predictions about what Flack was planning! **

**So, what now? Well, we see what Flack's up to, and then Danny, Lindsay and Lucy go to visit some old friends. Enjoy!**

* * *

Flack was pleased with himself. He had made a few stops along the way, including a home and garden store and the lab, where he got some very strange looks as he wandered the halls with his wares.

"Um, hey Flack," Adam said as he passed Flack in the hallway. "There something we need to know?"

"Hmm?" Flack said. Adam nodded toward the item he was carrying in his arms and a wide grin spread across Flack's face. "Nah. Just a little something I gotta take care of."

"Ooookay," Adam replied, perplexed. "Does Mac know you're taking one of those?"

Flack wiggled his eyebrows at Adam. "No, and what he doesn't know won't hurt him, right Adam?" he said. "Besides, its all for the greater good."

"Oh. The greater... wait, what?"

Flack grinned, glancing at his watch. "Sorry, Adam. I can't explain right now," he said. "Don't want to be late!"

As Flack turned and continued down the hall toward the elevators, Adam shook his head, heading back into his lab. "Dude is losing his mind," he muttered.

* * *

"You guys gonna let me in, or what?"

Danny emerged into the living room with Lucy in his arms to hear the sound of his best friend's voice from the other side of the front door. He looked over and saw Lindsay still doubled over giggling, her face pink and tears streaming from her eyes as she laughed.

He smiled and shook his head.

"What's that idiot up to now?" he asked his wife as he handed Lucy over to her.

"Oh, my God," Lindsay sighed, wiping at her eyes before another bout of giggles erupted from her, rendering her speechless.

Danny moved to the door, peering through the peephole before a loud bark of laughter escaped him.

"You know, I can hear you guys in there. It's really rude to leave me hanging," Flack's voice came through the door. "Come on, let me in. I feel like an idiot standing out here like this."

"Well, you look like an idiot, if that helps," Danny said, pulling the door open to reveal Flack standing in the hall, dressed in a department-issue, bright yellow HazMat suit, complete with a plastic-fronted hood, gloves and breathing apparatus. In one hand he carried a mop and bucket, a folding lawn chair in the other. "Get your ass in here, you clown!" Danny said, chucking as Flack shuffled awkwardly into the apartment.

After shutting the door, Danny turned to his friend, a wide smile on his face as he took in the full force of Flack's appearance.

"So, I'm here. Ready to do your bidding, oh wise and benevolent mistress," Flack said to Lindsay, bowing as low as he could in the bulky suit.

"Bee bawd!" Lucy squealed, pointing at the strange, yellow figure standing in her living room. "Bee bawd!"

"Um, what?" Flack asked, turning to Danny and Lindsay for a translation.

"No, sweetie, that's not Big Bird," Lindsay explained, grinning at Flack.

"Dat?" Lucy asked, pointing at Flack.

"Who's that? That's your crazy Uncle Don," Danny explained. Turning to Flack, he continued. "So, you think we keep dangerous chemicals in our place or what?"

"Just taking every precaution," Flack said. "You can never be too careful. From what your missus tells me, I may have already been contaminated during previous visits."

Danny looked back and forth between Flack and Lindsay. He was clearly missing something here.

"Um, Dan? When I told Flack about... you know," Lindsay explained, nodding toward the cowboy hat that lay on the floor beside the couch where it had been discarded the night before, "I may have mentioned that we don't always contain our... adult activities to the bedroom."

"Yeah. And although I love you like a brother, Danno, I don't want any of your cooties. So I've come prepared."

"And the lawn chair?" Danny asked, pointing to the folding chair dangling from Flack's hand.

"Well, once I'm done cleaning and it's finally safe to remove the suit, I don't want to get re-contaminated by sitting on your funky couch," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "So, I brought my own, portable seat!"

"It looks like you've thought of everything, Don," Lindsay giggled.

"Always be prepared, Linds," Flack said, nodding sagely. "Millions of Boy Scouts can't be wrong."

"You're not seriously going to clean our place wearing that thing, are you?" Danny asked. "You'll die of heat stroke."

"That's a risk I'm willing to take in order to keep myself cootie-free," Flack said.

Danny rolled his eyes, chuckling to himself as he watched Flack struggle to unfold the lawn chair, the large and cumbersome gloves attached to the suit causing him to fumble and drop the chair.

"So, what do you want me to do, boss-lady?" Flack asked Lindsay, deciding to give up on the chair for the time being.

Lindsay raised her eyebrows, looking over at Danny. "Well, um, honestly? I didn't really think you'd show up, so..."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Flack said, holding up his hand. "You thought I wouldn't show up? After I promised that I would?" He shook his head sadly. "Wow. That hurts, Linds. That hurts me deep."

"Oh, knock it off, Flack," Danny said. "She means we figured you'd be too hung over this morning to even think about getting out of bed, let alone trudge across town to do housework. And to be honest, I kind of doubted that you'd even remember the bet that you lost last night."

"What? Oh, thanks a lot, Dan. Just rub salt in my wounds, why don't you?" Flack protested. "Come on! I wasn't _that _drunk! And for your information, there isn't enough alcohol in the entire world to make me forget about... The Baby Maker," he said, shuddering as the words left his mouth. "And besides, like I said last night, I'm Irish. I can handle my liquor."

"Uh huh. Sure you can," Lindsay said, patting Flack consolingly on the arm. "So, if you really are here to get started on day one of your week of servitude, then I guess you can start in the kitchen. Danny and Lucy made breakfast, so I imagine there's a bit of a mess in there."

Flack nodded his head. "Alright. Then that's where I'll start," he said.

Lindsay watched as Flack shuffled toward the kitchen, turning to catch Danny's eye just as Flack rounded the corner.

"Did you guys make a mess this morning?" she whispered. "Please... _please _say that you made a mess!"

"Holy shit, Messer! What the hell were you doing in here?" came Flack's voice from the kitchen. "It looks like a fucking bomb went off in your kitchen!"

"Hey! Language, man! There's an impressionable little girl in the room out here," Danny said, grinning at Lucy.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't realize you were trying to break Linds of her potty mouth," Flack said peering around the kitchen door and winking at Lindsay. "But seriously man, what the hell?"

"What? Luce and I were making pancakes... and I may or may not have dropped a few on the floor when I was trying to flip them in the air," Danny said, shrugging his shoulders.

"Danny! You threw pancakes on the floor and didn't clean them up?" Lindsay admonished her husband. "That's gross."

"Yeah, Danny. That's gross," Flack said, smirking at his friend though his plastic-fronted hood before disappearing back into the kitchen.

"What? But... I... the bacon was done and... Linds, you were sleeping... and Lucy... oh forget it," Danny said, huffing as he threw his arms in the air. "I was gonna clean them up after breakfast," he grumbled.

"Oooh, Danny's in trouble!" Flack sing-songed from the kitchen.

"Hey! You be quiet in there!" Danny said. "Come on, Linds, you know I wouldn't leave a mess like that for you to clean up. I was gonna do it. I really was."

Lindsay looked at Danny's pained expression and burst out laughing.

"Oh, baby, I know," she said, pressing a quick kiss to his cheek. "And normally I would gladly help you clean up your mess, seeing as you were so thoughtful this morning. But thankfully, we have our slave-for-a-week here to do that for us!"

A loud groan came from the kitchen and Danny and Lindsay turned to one another and grinned. "What?" Danny asked.

"Man, you mean I really have to clean this crap up?" Flack whined. "I bet you made this mess on purpose, just for me."

"Yeah, that's right, Flack," Danny said, rolling his eyes. "It's all about you. I decided to do something nice for my wife this morning just to piss you off!"

"Wouldn't put it past you, man. You are truly diabolical sometimes."

"Shut up and start cleaning, Cinder-fella," Danny shot back. He grinned as he heard a resigned sigh coming from the direction of the kitchen. "So, what do my two favourite girls want to do today while Mr. Clean in there works his magic?"

"I don't know. Lucy, what do you want to do, baby?"

"Tider!" Lucy squealed. "Tider p'ease!"

Danny grinned at Lindsay. "What do you say, babe? You wanna go see some tigers too?"

* * *

The Messer family made their way through the early afternoon crowds at the New York Zoo, with Lindsay pushing Lucy in her stroller. As they meandered along the path toward the tiger enclosure, Lindsay smiled when she felt Danny rest his hand on the small of her back. The familiarity and comfort of this simple gesture still managed to make her heart beat just that little bit faster.

"Tider! Tider!" Lucy shouted excitedly, pointing a chubby finger as they stopped in front of the tigers. Lindsay smiled as she watched Lucy lean forward in anticipation of seeing her favourite animal.

"She really loves the tigers, huh?"

Lindsay turned and smiled at Danny. "Yeah, she gets that from me."

"Oh yeah? Tigers are your favourite animal?" Danny said. "I didn't know that, Linds. I would have thought it would be something more... Montana-ish," he finished lamely, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah, well. Tigers have been my favourite for a few years now," she said, blushing lightly. "I didn't really like them at first, but let's just say that they've grown on me."

"Oh yeah?" Danny asked, cocking his eyebrow at his wife. "Any particular reason?"

"Danny!" Lindsay protested. "Come on, you know why!"

"What, because you got to hold a tiger's jaw open while Mac poked around inside? Or because you got to dig through piles of tiger crap looking for body parts?" he said, winking at her.

Lindsay grimaced at the memory. "Ugh. Don't remind me. That was disgusting," she shuddered. "No, I didn't start to realize how much I liked tigers until after that."

"Care to enlighten me?"

Lindsay turned to look up at Danny, her fingers gently caressing his cheek. She felt his hand slide up from the small of her back as he gently stroked the back of her neck.

"I've said it before, and I'll say it again, Dan. It's a good thing you're pretty, because sometimes you are so dense," Lindsay teased. She leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Danny's chin. "I love tigers - these tigers in particular - because they are the reason that I met you."

She felt her heart swell at the lopsided grin that spread across Danny's face at her words. She sighed as he leaned forward, capturing her lips in a soft and loving kiss, his fingers tangling in her hair. As he pulled away, he smiled down at her, and she could see the love he had for her reflected in his eyes.

"I never knew that, babe," he whispered, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. "If anything, I thought you would like tigers even less because of our first case together. I thought you hated me back then."

Lindsay shook her head. "I never hated you, Danny," she said. "Were you a royal pain in my ass? Yes you were. Did you drive me insane with your teasing and your pranks? Yes you did. But eventually, I came to enjoy it... even look forward to it. And I still do." She stroked Danny's stubbled cheek with the pad of her thumb. "And, just look at where we are now, baby. We have a beautiful baby girl and a happy marriage. So, why are tigers my favourite? Because thanks to these tigers, I found the love of my life."

Danny leaned forward, placing a chaste kiss to his wife's forehead before moving to stand behind her and wrap his arms around her slender frame from behind. He rested his chin on her shoulder and nuzzled into her neck. They stood there, Lindsay safely enveloped in Danny's cocoon, watching the massive creatures as they paced around their enclosure. They listened as Lucy giggled and chatted to no one in particular, turning every once in a while to smile up at her parents and point to the tigers.

After a while, it was clear that Lucy's interest in the tigers was waning, and she wanted to move on to see the penguins next. As Lindsay began to move from their spot in front of the enclosure, she felt Danny's arms tighten around her waist as he pulled her flush against his chest. He leaned in and she could feel his breath on the shell of her ear as he whispered to her.

"You know, come to think of it, tigers are my favourite too, Montana."

She smiled, turning her head, her lips meeting his in a quick, loving kiss.

"Love you, Dan."

"Love you too, Linds."

Leaving the tigers behind, they began to make their way on to see the other animals, Lindsay once again pushing Lucy in her stroller, with Danny's arm slung around her shoulders, holding her tightly to his side.

**

* * *

**

So? Thoughts? I hope that Flack's little get-up didn't disappoint! And I hope you enjoyed the scene with the tigers as much as I enjoyed writing it! (Was it too fluffy? I have no idea. My fluff-o-meter appears to be broken LOL). Anyways, I plan on letting you all see more of their day together in the next chapter.

**As always, reviews and comments are welcome. I'd love to hear from you!**


	26. Criminal Activity

**A/N: I know I keep promising that I'll update faster, but life just keep sneaking up and getting in my way. It's amazing how little time I have to write these days. But I finally found a few moments to put this chapter together, and I hope you enjoy reading it!**

**A huge round of applause for all of you reviewers. In case you hadn't noticed, we've passed the 200 reviews mark for this story *points up at the review counter* Holy crap! I can't believe it! You guys are so amazing, and to all of you who have reviewed and supported this story, I just want to give you all a huge hug for sticking with me!**

**You have no idea how hard I laughed reading all of your reactions to Flack's costume! I'm sorry to disappoint those of you who had your hearts set on a French Maid's uniform, but I just thought that this would be so much more… Flack!**

**I would like to say a special thanks to jorizo who came up with the premise for this chapter. I was trying to figure out what to do next, and she kindly sent me a little nugget of information that just made me laugh so hard that I had to put it in the chapter. Thanks, eh?**

**So... on with Chapter 26!**

* * *

"Danny! Oh my God, Danny!"

"What? What's the matter, Linds?" Danny said, looking up from where he and Lucy were feeding the ducks in a small pond in Central Park.

"Danny, come here! You have got to read this!"

"Just a sec!" he called back as he handed Lucy the last of their bread, helping her to tear it into tiny pieces before throwing it to the birds. He watched as the ducks went berserk over the crumbs, smiling as Lucy giggled at their antics. Then he dusted his hands off on his jeans before picking Lucy up and walking back toward where Lindsay was sitting on a nearby bench. "What's up?"

"You are not going to believe this!" she exclaimed, grabbing onto his arm in her excitement as she shoved the newspaper she was reading into his face. "Look! Look at that!"

"Okay, well stop trying to shove the paper up my nose, alright?" he said settling Lucy down on the bench between them, handing her some toys from her stroller before he sat back and accepted the paper from Lindsay. "Okay, so… what am I looking at?"

"Here!" she said, pointing her finger at an article in the sidebar with the title _Strange U.S. Sex Laws_.

"Um, wow, Linds. What is this, some kind of hint? Our sex life not hot enough for you? I'm kind of hurt."

"Danny," Lindsay said, rolling her eyes, "Would you please just read the article? Please?"

"Fine," he said. "But I'm warning you now, I'm not bailing you out of jail of you get caught doing something illegal."

"Just read it."

"Alright, alright," he said. "I'm reading."

He skimmed his eyes down the page, his eyes widening in amusement at what he read. Basically, it was a list of strange laws from various locations throughout the U.S. outlawing various sexual activities. Some of them were so ridiculous, he couldn't help but snicker.

"Seriously, Linds. Are these for real?" he asked, shaking his head in disbelief. "I mean, who would want to have sex in a store's meat freezer? And this one… this one's hilarious. In Ames, Iowa a man isn't allowed to take more than three gulps of beer while lying in bed after making love!" He looked up at Lindsay and winked, "But two's still okay, right?"

"Keep reading," she said, practically bouncing in anticipation.

He turned his attention back to the paper. "Oh, think I'm in trouble with this one… it says that a man can't make love to his wife if he has garlic breath. Good thing we don't live in Minnesota, I guess."

"Yeah, a very good thing," Lindsay said wryly. "Keep going!"

"Okay," Danny said. He skimmed down the rest of the article, trying to find the part that she was so impatient for him to read. "Hey! There's one in here about Bozeman!" he exclaimed, looking up at Lindsay.

"Mmm hmm," she said, nodding her head. "Read what it says."

"In Bozeman, Montana, it is illegal…" his voice broke off, his lips moving silently as he read the remainder of the law. His head snapped up and he looked at his wife with wide eyes. "Holy shit, Linds!" he exclaimed. He winced, looking down at Lucy. Fortunately, she was too engrossed in her own little world of make-believe to notice the use of one of her favourite new words. "Linds, do you know what this means?" he whispered.

"Yeah, I do, Danny," she said, giving him a flirtatious little smile. "We're lawbreakers, baby. We're felons, common crooks. We've engaged in unlawful and criminal activity."

Danny grinned at his wife. "You feel just a little bit proud of yourself about that, don't you?" he asked. He felt his insides get a lot warmer all of a sudden as she bit her lip and wiggled her eyebrows at him. She leaned forward so her lips just barely grazed against his ear as she spoke.

"I feel kind of… naughty, Danny," she breathed. "Like I've been a very bad girl."

"You know, there's no law on this list about having a quickie in the bushes beside the duck pond," Danny whispered in her ear, eliciting a giggle from Lindsay.

"Danny!"

"I'm only kidding," he said. "I mean, really Linds. Lucy's right here. How could you even suggest such a thing?"

She shoved him playfully, smiling down at their daughter who let out a small yawn. She watched as Lucy yawned again before she pushed her toys aside, climbing up onto Danny's lap and resting her head on his chest.

"You know, Flack's at our place, and he is your slave," Danny said, gently rubbing Lucy's back with one hand, while stretching his other arm over the back of the bench and gently caressing Lindsay's bare neck with his fingers. "We could take her home and come back." He wiggled his eyebrows at his wife as she looked up at him, mock horror on her face.

"Daniel James Messer!"

He grinned back at her, leaning over and gently skimming his lips against hers before planting a kiss on the tip of her nose. "Kidding, babe. Do you know how unsanitary this place is? I mean, there's duck crap everywhere."

Lindsay smiled at him, leaning forward and kissing him on the lips. As she pulled back, a wicked idea occurred to her, and from the smirk on Danny's face, she had the distinct impression that the same idea had just sprung into his mind as well.

"Dan, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

"Well, if you're thinking that there's a certain idiot out there who desperately needs to hear all about this law and how we broke it - and that the same idiot is probably up in our apartment right now, wearing his HazMat suit and sitting in his lawn chair - then yes. I am thinking _exactly_ what you're thinking.

They exchanged grins before quickly tucking a sleeping Lucy into the stroller, gathering her assorted paraphernalia and packing it into her diaper bag. Danny tucked the newspaper under his arm as they made their way back home to their apartment where Flack was supposedly still hard at work.

* * *

Flack stood back and admired his handiwork. Danny had been right – he had been sweating like a pig inside the suit, and as soon as the door had closed behind his friends, he'd discarded it in a heap on the living room floor. Then he'd set to work on setting the kitchen to rights, muttering to himself as he scooped the gloopy pancake mess off the floor. At last, the kitchen was spotless, and he couldn't help but think that he'd done a pretty great job.

He looked down at his watch, seeing that he'd been working for a couple of hours now. Lindsay hadn't left any further instructions for him, so he helped himself to a beer from the fridge before heading into the living room. He was about to plop down on the couch when he remembered Lindsay's comment the previous evening about their nocturnal activities. He looked up and saw the now infamous cowboy hat laying on the floor and let out a shudder.

"Fucking animals, man," he said, grinning to himself as he dragged his lawn chair into the living room and unfolded it, settling himself in it and propping his feet up on the coffee table. He sat and glared at the ubiquitous hat. "Blech," he said, shaking his head and frowning. His friends had effectively ruined cowboys for him. He'd never be able to watch a Clint Eastwood movie again without thinking about Danny wearing that damn hat.

He sat and thought for a moment about how he could get back at them. He knew that they'd both gotten a kick out of his getup this morning, but that wasn't enough. They must have expected he'd do something. How could he not? But now he needed something else. Something bigger. Something that would remind them that messing with Donald Flack Jr. wasn't something that should be taken lightly.

* * *

"Honey! We're home!" Danny called out as he opened the front door to their apartment, Lindsay close behind him pushing a still sleeping Lucy in her stroller. "Flack?"

"In here," he replied.

After closing the door behind his girls and kicking off his shoes, Danny wandered into the living room to find Flack seated on his lawn chair, still in full-on HazMat regalia, a beer in one hand and a bag of chips in the other.

"So, I see you made yourself at home," Danny said as he dropped down onto the couch. His lips twitched up in a smile as he noticed Flack making a face at the idea of sitting on the couch. "Did you actually wear that stupid outfit this whole time?"

"Hey man," Flack said, pointing his beer at Danny as he spoke, "It's a small price to pay for keeping myself cootie-free."

"Uh huh," Danny replied, eyeing Flack up. "So, care to explain how you plan on eating those chips and drinking that beer with that thing over your face?"

"Um… very carefully?"

"Busted, you dork," Danny replied, grinning at his friend. "You can take it off, Flack. I promise not to get any of my cooties on you, alright?"

"Well, as long as you don't try to jump me, I guess I'll be relatively safe."

"Yeah, no worries there, man," Danny said as he casually tossed the newspaper onto the coffee table, the article he and Lindsay had been reading earlier landing face-up. "So, should I be insulted that you don't want my cooties on you, but Lindsay's are alright?"

"It's a known fact that girls don't have cooties," Lindsay said as she emerged from the hallway, having just put Lucy down for her afternoon nap. "And besides, even if I did have cooties, they'd be really cute ones, right baby?"

"Absolutely," Danny replied, smiling at his wife as she sat down beside him. "Cutest cooties ever."

"Oh, God. Please, kill me now," Flack said as he sat back down in his lawn chair, now free from the bulky yellow suit. "Are you guys trying to make me sick?"

Lindsay smiled at Danny, leaning in and kissing him firmly on the lips before turning back to Flack. "Maybe," she replied.

"Well, it's working," Flack said as he leaned back in his chair. "So, you guys have a look at the amazing work I did in your kitchen? Am I a pro or what?"

Lindsay turned her head, peering through the dining room and into the kitchen.

"Wow, it looks good, Don," she replied. "Almost as good as it did before Danny and Lucy got to it this morning."

"Hey!" Danny and Flack both protested in unison.

"I told you I was gonna clean it up!" Danny said.

"I think I did a pretty good job, seeing as it was such a disaster when I got here!"

Lindsay smiled beatifically between the two men. She leaned forward and patted Flack on the knee.

"Of course you did a good job," she said in a patronizing voice. "Such a good job, that now I have to find something else for you to do!" She turned to Danny. "What do you think? Bathroom next? Then laundry?"

"Hmm, laundry first I think," Danny said, leaning in and pressing a kiss to her neck. "I'm thinking I could probably do with a shower after our long walk this afternoon."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked, giggling as Danny's stubble tickled her neck. "You want some company in that shower, baby?"

Before they could get too carried away, Flack cleared his throat noisily. "Ahem! Guys! Seriously, I'm right here!"

Danny gave Lindsay a mischievous little wink before pulling away.

"Sorry, man," he said. "But, you know, being that we're such animals and all…"

"Oh, and I have a bone to pick with you, mister," Lindsay said, turning to Flack. "You had better watch what you say around Lucy, because she's picking up all kinds of crap from you."

Flack grinned. "Really? She listens to me? Cool! What'd she say?"

"No, not cool," Lindsay replied, shaking her head. "When Danny kissed me good morning, we were told, and I quote, 'Yucky. No that' by our toddler," Lindsay explained, using her fingers to make air-quotes around Lucy's reprimand.

Flack chuckled to himself, clearly quite proud of his and Lucy's little inside joke. "Well, that will teach you to make out in front of your child."

"It wasn't making out," Lindsay protested. "It was just a good morning kiss!"

Flack raised his eyebrows in disbelief. "Uh huh. Sure it was."

"Oh, shut up. Don't you have some chores to do?" Lindsay asked, glaring at Flack.

"Yeah, after my beer," he replied, leaning forward and picking up his beer and the paper that Danny had discarded on the table earlier. "I've been working hard, Linds. I deserve a little break."

She narrowed her eyes at him, about to comment on exactly how hard she thought he had been working when she felt Danny nudge her gently. She turned to him as he gave her a meaningful look, nodding toward Flack who was deeply engrossed in reading the paper. She nodded her understanding and turned to face Flack again.

"So, what's in the news today, Don?" she asked, elbowing Danny hard as he started to snicker at her lame attempt to sound casual.

Luckily, Flack was so absorbed in the paper that he barely noticed she was speaking to him.

"Huh?" he asked, looking up at them. "You say something, Linds?"

"I just asked if there was anything interesting in the paper today," she said. "We didn't get a chance to go through the whole thing before Lucy fell asleep and we decided to head home."

"Oh, sorry," Flack said, "You wanna read it first?"

"No, that's okay," Lindsay replied as she snuggled into Danny's side, his arm slung around her shoulders. Together they watched as Flack turned his attention back to the paper. After a few minutes, he started chuckling, clearly amused by something he was reading.

"What's funny?" Danny asked.

"It's just this crazy article about weird sex laws," Flack said, shaking his head as he read. "This shit is crazy. Who would do some of this…" his voice trailed off as he continued reading. "Hey, Linds! Guess what?"

"What?"

"You're home town is in here!" he said, looking up at her.

"Bozeman? Really?" Lindsay asked. "What does it say?"

Flack cleared his throat before he began reading out loud. "In Bozeman, Montana it is illegal to have any kind of sexual activity in your front yard with a member of the opposite sex after sundown. Unless both participants are fully dressed." He looked up at Danny and Lindsay, a grin on his face. "I mean, seriously! What's going on in Bozeman that they had to come up with a law like that? What kind of people are just going to get it on in their front yard?"

The smile on his face faltered slightly at the knowing expressions Danny and Lindsay were sharing.

"What? Wha… Oh no," he said, shaking his head. "No. No, no, no, no!" He looked back down at the article, then back up at his friends who were grinning at him. "What the hell is the matter with you two? Jesus! You… you really… you did this?"

Danny shrugged his shoulders, winking at Lindsay.

"Well, it wasn't really _our_ front yard," he said. "It was Linds's mom and dad's."

Flack looked up at him, horrified.

"And we weren't technically naked… well, at least I wasn't," Lindsay said, grinning up at Danny. "But you, on the other hand... I don't know," she turned to Flack. "Hey, you might know, Don. In your professional opinion, if Danny wasn't wearing any pants, would he be considered legally naked?"

"Ahhhh!" Flack said, smacking his hands over his ears. "Fuck! La la la la la! I can't hear you!"

Lindsay and Danny broke out in huge, triumphant smiles, giving one another a congratulatory high five as their friend glared at them, his hands still held firmly over his ears.

"Oh, come on, Flack," Danny wheedled his friend, "Grow up. It's not like you're so innocent."

"Yeah, well at least I'm not out breaking any laws though, am I?"

"Oh, come on," Danny said. "You said it yourself – it's a stupid law."

"Yeah, but that was before I knew about you two humping like monkeys in Lindsay's parents' front yard!"

"Monkeys, Flack? Monkeys?" Danny said, shaking his head. "It wasn't like that at all." He turned to Lindsay, stroking her cheek affectionately. "It was so…"

"Sweet," Lindsay said.

"Hot," Danny finished.

"Disgusting," Flack added. "Ugh. Just… just ugh," he said, standing up and gathering his belongings.

"What? You're leaving?" Lindsay asked, a smirk on her face. "What about the rest of your chores, Don? You're not breaking our deal are you?"

"No," Flack said, folding up his lawn chair and bending over to grab his HazMat suit. "But I think I've had an information overload this afternoon, and if you don't want me to be sick all over your living room floor, I think I'd better call it quits for today."

"Well that just gives us more time to come up with more stuff for you to do," Danny teased. "We'll have a nice, long list for you tomorrow."

"Yeah, fine. Whatever," Flack said, stumbling and tripping over the suit that was dragging on the floor in his hurry to get to the door. "Just… just don't…"

"Don't what?" Lindsay asked, an innocent expression on her face. "Hump like monkeys?"

"Ugh," Flack replied. "I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit."

Shoving his feet into his shoes, he grabbed the door handle, glancing around the room one final time to ensure he hadn't forgotten anything. His eyes rested momentarily on the cowboy hat sitting innocuously on the floor by Danny's feet and he couldn't resist letting a small smirk cross his face. They were so going to pay for this.

"Sure you won't stay, buddy?" Danny asked as Flack reefed open the door.

"Fuck you, Messer," was Flack's terse reply. As the door swung shut behind him, he heard a loud chorus of laughter from inside the apartment. "Yeah, laugh it up now, you two," he said to himself. Smiling, he trudged down the hall toward the elevators.

* * *

"So, I think that went pretty well," Danny said, wrapping his arm around Lindsay's shoulder and pulling her close. "I think he was suitably horrified, don't you?"

"Mmm," Lindsay agreed, leaning against Danny as he gently ran his fingers through her hair. "But you know he's going to get us back, right?"

"You noticed it too, huh?" Danny asked, letting out a sigh. "Yeah, he just had a kind of disturbing smile on his face when he left. He's definitely up to something."

"Well, it can't be any worse than stealing a HazMat suit from the lab to clean our apartment in, can it?" Lindsay asked, shifting so she could look up at Danny.

"Oh, I'm sure it will be," Danny said. "But we'll just have to wait and see." He leaned in, pressing a kiss to her temple. "But right now, I've got other things on my mind."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked, giggling as Danny kissed his way down her face until he reached the tender spot just below her ear. "Like what?"

"Have you noticed that we're alone?" he whispered in her ear. "Lucy's asleep. She'll be out for at least another hour. Flack's gone. Just you and me, babe."

"Mmm," Lindsay sighed, closing her eyes and basking in the feeling of Danny's lips on her neck. "I had noticed."

"Yeah? So how about that shower?"

Lindsay turned in his arms, smiling up at him before resting her forehead against his.

"You think the hat's waterproof?"

**

* * *

**

Ahhhhh! I know! After so many days, I finally update, then I leave you like this? What am I, some kind of monster?

***thinks***

**Yes. Yes I am! Ha ha!**

**So, thoughts, anyone? I hope Flack was suitably horrified. LOL. **

**BTW - if any of you are interested in reading this hilarious set of laws, please let me know and I'll send you the link. Huge thanks once again to jorizo for suggesting this particular idea and for providing me with the info. You totally rock!**


	27. The Little Green Monster

**A/N: *Picks up this story and dusts it off* **

**Wow. Feels like forever since I updated this story. Probably because it has been, for which I am truly sorry. I won't bore you with my excuses. I will just say that I hope that what I have come up with for this next chapter (and the next, which is already started!) will make up for it.**

**A huge thank you to all of you who reviewed the last chapter – waaaaay back when! LOL. Seriously, though. I really got a kick out of your reactions to Danny and Lindsay's romp on the wrong side of the law, as well as the way they suckered Flack into their fiendish little plan. Thank you all so much for supporting this story! I'm glad that you keep coming back for more :D**

**I'll leave you here to enjoy the next installment of High School Daze – Chapter 27.**

* * *

Lindsay stared down at the list in her hands, letting out a soft sigh. She and Danny had composed this list almost a week ago, right after Flack had left their apartment still clad in his HazMat suit with his lawn chair in tow. Well, _almost_ right after, Lindsay thought to herself, a wide smile spreading across her face. After Flack had left, she and Danny had taken advantage of the fact that Lucy was still napping to spend some quality time together in the shower.

She gazed off into space for a few moments, letting the memories wash over her before shaking her head, bringing her thoughts back to the list. She and Danny had sat down after dinner to write down all the torturous and embarrassing things they wanted to make Flack do for them while he was their slave. As the week wore on, they had added to it, and it was now a full page long.

And Flack had not disappointed. He had taken on each task with aplomb, throwing himself into each chore without complaint. He had, however, taken great delight in pointing out that they would pay for each and every task they set for him, from the small and rather mild, such as cleaning the bathroom, to the more elaborate and bizarre. A particular favourite idea of Danny's had been to send Flack down to the convenience store across the street from the precinct during shift change, a time when he was most likely to be seen by his co-workers, to buy a super-pak of tampons, a box of condoms, a spray can of whipped cream, and a bottle of chocolate syrup.

Flack had returned from his errand a little flushed, but with all the requested items in a plastic bag.

"Gonna get you bad for that one, Messer," he'd whispered to Danny. "My fucking CO was there at the same time, and I had to fight him for the last box of condoms." A smug grin spread across his face as he rifled through the bag, handing a small box to Danny. "Sorry, man. But my boss trumps you and your little list. So I went to the drug store down the street instead. And seeing as you didn't specify a size, I figured that you'd settle for whatever I brought back for you."

Lindsay had burst out laughing at the expression on Danny's face when he saw that Flack had brought home a box of extra-small condoms.

"What the matter, Danno?" Flack asked. "Oh, sorry man. They too big for you?"

Danny had glared at Flack murderously before his face lightened as an idea occurred to him.

"Hey, well at least they won't go to waste," he said. At Lindsay's inquiring look, he explained. "You know, we fill them with the whipped cream and chocolate sauce and boom! A hundred times better than water balloons!"

"Danny!" she admonished him, smacking his arm.

"What?" he'd chuckled as he tossed the offending box of condoms aside. "We make a mess, we got Flack here to clean it up for us!"

Lindsay laughed to herself as she remembered the conversation. Danny had gotten his revenge on Flack in the end, putting the box of inadequately small condoms into Flack's locker at the precinct the next day, ensuring that they were positioned just right, so that when he opened his locker, the box would fall to the floor, sending the condoms flying all over the room.

But now the week was almost over, and each and every item on the list had been crossed off. Flack was due to arrive at their apartment in about an hour for his very last assignment before being set free from their tyrannical clutches, and Lindsay had nothing for him to do. She scrunched up the list in her hands and tossed it into the garbage. She was about to call Danny to ask for any last-minute ideas from him when she heard her phone beep, indicating that she'd received a text message.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her phone, flipping it open to see who it was from.

_Hey Linds! Just landed in NY. Staying at hotel __next to Downtown Conference Centre. You and Danny up for dinner and drinks tonight? Let me know. xxoo Susie_

A wide smile spread across Lindsay's face as she read and then re-read the message. She quickly sent Susie a reply letting her know that they would be happy to meet up with her later on. After hitting the send button, Lindsay realized that she now had a final task for Flack. Dialing his number, she waited as she listened to the dial tone before he finally answered.

"Flack."

"Hey, Don. It's Lindsay."

"Hey Linds. What's up?" Flack asked. "I was just on my way over, you need anything?"

"Oh, no," Lindsay replied. "Actually, I was just calling to say you don't need to come over right away. I actually have a job for you, but I won't need you until later."

"Oh, really?" She could practically hear the smirk in Flack's voice. "So, what? Danny's busy tonight? You need a little something-something?"

"Keep dreaming, buster," Lindsay laughed. "No, actually I have a friend visiting from out of town and Danny and I promised her we'd take her out for drinks, so I'm wondering if you would mind watching Lucy for a few hours."

"Aw man! Jeez, Linds. That's the worst job you've come up with for me yet!" Flack moaned into the phone. He waited for a laugh from the other end, but when all he got in response was stony silence, he began to panic. "Uh… I mean… um… Lucy is the light of my life. She's amazing – the smartest, cutest kid on the face of the earth. I would love nothing more than to spend my night looking after her," he stammered. "Please, Linds. Don't hurt me."

Hearing Flack's pitiful rambling, Lindsay couldn't help but let him off the hook. She let out the laugh she'd been holding in, knowing full well that Flack adored her daughter.

"Alright. You're forgiven," she said. "But don't even joke about stuff like that in front of Danny. He'd skin you alive."

"Yeah, I know. Sorry."

"It's okay," she said. "Listen, I've got to talk to Danny and Susie about details, so I'll get back to you. But I'd imagine we'd be going out about seven or eight."

"Sounds good," he replied. "Keep me posted, and I'll be there with bells on."

"Thanks, Don. Talk to you later."

"Bye, Linds."

* * *

As Lindsay walked the last block to the Downtown Conference Centre, she smiled to herself as she saw a familiar figure standing outside the front doors. She picked up her pace, walking as fast as her high heels would allow until she was standing only a few feet from her friend.

"Susie!"

"Oh, my God! Lindsay!" Susie squealed, the two women quickly closing the distance between them and embracing warmly. Susie gave Lindsay a quick squeeze before pulling back and taking in her friend's appearance. "God, woman. You clean up pretty good!" she gushed.

"You look pretty good yourself," Lindsay replied, blushing slightly at the compliment. "How are you? How was your flight? How long are you here for? What do you want to do first?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Susie laughed. "Hold your horses, Linds. One question at a time!"

"Sorry," Lindsay replied. "I guess I get that from my mom. She always wants to know everything right away in the first breath."

"Yikes," Susie grimaced, shaking her head. "We're getting old, Linds. Turning into our mothers."

"Yeah, well. I can think of worse things," Lindsay laughed, linking her arm with Susie's as they began to walk together down the street.

"So, where were we?" Susie asked as they walked. "Right. So, I'm fine. The flight was bumpy, but I got to sit next to a hot guy, which was great," she winked at Lindsay before continuing with her list, ticking off Lindsay's questions on her fingers. "Um… I'm here for four days, and I want a stiff drink!"

"Luckily, I know just the place," Lindsay said, smiling as she hailed a cab to take herself and Susie to Sullivan's.

* * *

"Wow, Linds. What is this, like hot cop central?" Susie asked as she and Lindsay slipped into a booth in the back of Sullivan's.

"Yeah, something like that," Lindsay laughed. "This is our favourite place to come after work to just unwind and have a few drinks. The food's pretty good, we know the bar staff, and you never have to worry about someone slipping something in your drink. It's got a nice atmosphere and everyone's really friendly."

"Where everybody knows your name, right?" Susie smiled, and together they hummed a few bars from the familiar Cheers theme song before their conversation was interrupted by a voluptuous blonde waitress who flicked her long tresses over her shoulder as she bounced up to their table.

"Hey Lindsay!" she said in an overly friendly voice. "How's it going? Danny working tonight?"

"Hey, Veronica," Lindsay replied, a forced smile on her face. "I'm good thanks. Um, Danny's gonna be joining us later, but my friend and I would like to start with a few drinks, and if you could bring over a couple of menus, that would be great."

"Sure thing, Lindsay!" Veronica chirped. "What'll you have to drink?"

Lindsay and Susie shared a look before they turned to Veronica and said in unison, "Cosmopolitans!"

"Alright, two Cosmos coming right up!"

Veronica smiled an overly bright smile at the two women before turning and heading back to the bar to place their orders.

"Whoa. Hello Barbie!" Susie whispered, her eyes wide as she followed Veronica's path toward the bar. "So… I'm sensing a little tension here. What's the story?"

"Ugh…" Lindsay sighed. "It's nothing really. I mean, I'm sure she's a really nice girl. Great personality, blah, blah, blah."

"But?"

"But… well, I think she's got a bit of a thing for Danny. Pays a little too much attention to him, if you know what I mean. Even when we're here with a big group of friends, she's always spending a little too much time on him."

Susie reached across the table, taking Lindsay's hand in hers. "Ah, the burden of being married to a total hottie," she said, letting out an exaggerated sigh. "Face it, Linds. Pretty much any woman with a pulse is going to have a thing for Danny. It's just something you're going to have to learn to deal with." She squeezed Lindsay's hand sympathetically, frowning at her friend's downcast expression. "Wait… he's never… he wouldn't…"

"What?" Lindsay said, a startled look on her face as she stared at Susie. "Oh, God no. He would never do that." She shook her head vehemently to emphasize her point. "It's just that sometimes he's so oblivious, you know? It's not that he encourages her, he just… he doesn't notice. And when I bring it up, he says that it's no big deal, that I have nothing to worry about... but, well, I just can't compete with someone as young and perky as Veronica," she sighed, shrugging her shoulders in defeat and pulling her hand from Susie's grasp. "What if he changes his mind, Susie? What if one day he looks at me and realizes that I'm getting older and fatter? That I've got wrinkles, my boobs are down to here, and that there are younger, hotter girls out there - girls who are still interested in him, because he's going to be annoyingly attractive even when he's like 90 years old?"

"Here are your drinks, ladies!" Veronica bubbled as she set their Cosmos on the table in front of them, bringing their conversation to yet another standstill. "And some menus. I'll give you a few minutes to decide what you want, okay?"

"Thanks," Lindsay said as Veronica bounced back toward the bar.

"Well, obviously, I don't know Danny as well as you do," Susie said thoughtfully, picking up right where they had left off, "But when I saw the two of you at the reunion, it was crystal clear to me that he's absolutely head over heels for you. I mean, first he totally blew off that Belinda bitch. And then, when you were dancing with that Chris guy? Man, he was so antsy. He couldn't keep his eyes off you." She smiled as she saw her friend blush. "And don't think I didn't notice the two of you getting just a little bit frisky on the dance floor, young lady. If I'm not very much mistaken, I could have sworn I saw his hands on your butt, and possibly even a little tongue action. So, while I can appreciate the challenges that come with having a man like Danny as a husband - a man that is highly desirable to other women - I think that you have to trust him, Lindsay. Trust that he loves you and that he wants you. And only you."

"Thanks, Susie," Lindsay said, smiling shyly at her friend. "I do trust him. And I know that he loves me - I mean he tells me like a thousand times a day. And he's so sweet, with all the little ways that he's always showing me just how much he cares. It's just hard to watch other women drooling all over him like that and to not feel just a tiny spark of jealousy. I just love him so much, and I don't know what I would do if I lost him."

"Well, here's to hoping that you never have to worry about that," Susie said, raising her glass. Lindsay grinned at her friend, raising her own glass. They clinked their drinks together before each taking a sip of their cocktails. "And if I may say so, Linds," Susie continued, setting her drink back down on the table, "I think you're underestimating your own appeal to the opposite sex."

"Oh, please," Lindsay said, waving off her friend's compliment.

"Don't you _oh please_ me, young lady!" Susie chastised her friend. "No way. You are one hot tamale, and Danny's lucky to have scored himself such a seriously smokin' gal. You could give that skinny bimbo with the fake boobs a run for her money."

"Susie!"

"Lindsay!" Susie said, echoing Lindsay's shocked tone with a smile on her face. "You are a seriously hot woman, you've got a rocking body, and your husband is clearly crazy about you. So, you know, stop worrying so much. Just relax, Danny's not going anywhere, and neither are you."

Lindsay sighed, shaking her head as she picked up her drink, holding it aloft. "Alright, Susie," she said. "I'll drink to that."

"Amen, sister," Susie said, clinking their drinks together once again. "So, what's good on the menu?" she asked after taking a sip of her drink. "I'm starving. I'm planning on seducing some poor unsuspecting cop, taking him back to my hotel room and having my way with him, so I need fuel to keep my stamina."

Lindsay rolled her eyes at her friend before picking up the menu. After making their selections, Veronica bounded back to their table to take their orders, including another round of drinks. Once the perky blonde had left the table, taking the menus with her, they toasted their evening together once again before downing their drinks, giggling as they continued to catch up with one another.

* * *

By the time Danny got off work and made his way over to Sullivan's, Lindsay and Susie were in full swing, having plowed through several rounds of Cosmos before moving on to shots. He shook his head, smiling to himself as he watched his wife and her friend talking and giggling noisily in their booth at the back of the bar. He made his way over to their table, sliding quietly into the booth beside his wife while her attention was on Susie, who was talking animatedly about one of her boys.

"And then… oh, God, Lindsay… and then he ran through my prissy-assed neighbour's yard - right in the middle of her swanky garden party - wearing nothing but a superman cape and his rubber boots," Susie said, her face flushed pink and tears of laughter welling up in her eyes. "God, I tried so hard to pretend that I was mad at him, but secretly I was thinking, _good for you, kiddo_!"

"Hey, baby," Danny whispered in Lindsay's ear as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

"Shit!" Lindsay exclaimed, jumping in her seat before exploding in a fit of giggles. "Oh, God, Danny! You scared the crap out of me."

"Danny!" Susie yelled from across the table! "Hey! You're here!"

Danny looked down at himself before looking back at Susie and winking.

"Yes. Yes, I am here," he said, nodding his head and smiling. "Very observant of you," he chuckled. "Have you ever considered a career in law enforcement? As a detective, maybe? We could use someone with skills like yours."

Susie stared back at him for a moment, trying to decide if he was making fun of her. She turned to Lindsay who just shook her head before both women burst out laughing, leaning forward in fits of giggles.

"So, it appears you two have been having fun without me," Danny said, settling back into the booth and grinning at the two inebriated women in front of him. "It's nice to see you again, Susie."

"Oh, God," Susie said, sitting up and wiping her eyes. "It's… it's good to see you too, Danny. How are you?"

"I'm good, thanks," Danny replied, "But apparently not as good as you two."

"I think we're drunk, Danny," Lindsay pointed out matter-of-factly.

"Oh really? You don't say?" Danny smiled at his wife, brushing a wisp of hair back behind her ear before pressing a kiss to her temple. "You look beautiful, baby," he whispered in her ear, causing her to blush.

"Thank you," she said, leaning into him and resting her hand on his thigh, skimming her fingers gently over the fabric of his jeans. "I'm glad you're here. I missed you."

"Yeah?" Danny asked, burying his face in her hair and inhaling deeply. "How much?"

"Mmm… so much, baby," Lindsay mumbled into his neck.

"Ahem…" Susie cleared her throat, reminding the couple that they were not alone at the table.

Lindsay blushed, biting her lip before burying her face in Danny's shoulder. He grinned apologetically at Susie, tightening his grip on Lindsay's shoulders and rubbing her arm affectionately. "Sorry," he said. "It's just been a long day, and my girl here just looks too good… kinda hard to resist, you know?"

"No worries, Danny," Susie said, smiling at him. "You guys are pretty cute together, you know that?"

Danny grinned at her before gently untangling himself from Lindsay's embrace. "Alright, ladies," he said, pushing himself up from the booth. "I'm gonna go get a beer… you two want anything?"

"Cosmos!" Lindsay demanded, banging her empty glass on the table.

"Or maybe water? Or possibly coffee?" Danny asked, laughing at the two disappointed faces that stared back up at him. "Okay. One more round of Cosmos, on me. But after that, you're cut off, baby."

"You're not the boss of me," Lindsay said, jutting out her lower lip.

"Maybe not," Danny said, stroking her cheek gently, "But I'm not really in the mood to spend all night holding your hair back while you pray to the porcelain god, if you catch my drift."

"Oh no?" Lindsay asked, her pout forgotten as she arched her eyebrows at him, sliding toward him in the booth and hooking her fingers through his belt loops, pulling him back down so he was kneeling in the booth in front of her. "Then what are you in the mood for?"

"If you're a good girl, maybe I'll show you later," Danny said, kissing her forehead before giving her a little wink and gently pulling her hands from his belt as he turned and headed to the bar.

"And there he goes," Susie said, staring wistfully at Danny's departing backside.

"Susie!" Lindsay said, slapping her friend's hand. "Don't check him out!"

"What? Oh, right. Sorry Linds," Susie said, grinning at her friend from across the table. "You lucky girl. I can't believe you get to go home with that ass and everything it's attached to every night." She wiggled her eyebrows at Lindsay, who smirked back at her.

"You'd better believe it, lady," Lindsay said, winking at her friend.

"So, will I get to meet any of these friends of yours that I've heard so much about?" Susie asked, smiling at Lindsay as she deftly changed the subject.

"Probably not tonight," Lindsay replied. "Most of them are working the late shift. But maybe you can stop by the lab tomorrow for coffee or something and meet them then!"

"That would be great. I'd love to meet this new little New York family of yours."

"Here you go, ladies," Danny said as he slid back into the booth beside his wife, passing the two women their drinks. He slid his arm around Lindsay's shoulders, pulling her tightly to his side as he settled back in his seat, taking a long draught of his beer. "So, what did I miss? What're we talking about?"

"Susie was just wondering when she'd get to meet everyone, but I told her they're all working tonight."

"Too bad," Danny said. "They were all pretty excited to meet this mystery friend of yours from back home. You could try seeing if Flack wants to come out, though. I didn't see him today, so I don't know what he's up to."

"Ah, well," Lindsay said, smiling knowingly at Danny, "I happen to know that Flack has a hot date with a cute blonde, so he's unavailable this evening."

"Oh really?" Danny asked, raising his eyebrows. "And on his last night of servitude? Wow. I'm surprised you let him off the hook."

"Who says I did?" Lindsay said. She giggled at Danny's confused expression. "Babe, he's looking after Lucy."

"Ah," Danny said, nodding his head and smiling. "I was wondering what you had planned for him today."

"Um, okay," Susie interjected, "So… kinda feeling like I'm missing something here. Who is this Flack person, and what's all this about servitude?"

Danny and Lindsay grinned at one another before Lindsay filled Susie in on Flack and his recent obsession with cowboy hats, his bet with Lindsay, and his subsequent week-long sentence as her slave. By the end of the story, Susie was doubled over laughing, tears streaming down her face once again.

"Oh, God…" she panted, dabbing at her eyes with a cocktail napkin. "Oh… that is too funny."

"You haven't even heard the best part," Lindsay said. "Babe, tell her about his suit… and the law."

"Oh, yeah!" Danny said, leaning forward and resting his elbows on the table. "So, the morning after Linds wins the bet, Flack shows up at our front door in full HazMat, telling us he's worried about getting our cooties…"

"_Your_ cooties, babe," Lindsay pointed out, kissing his cheek. "He wasn't so worried about catching mine. Too cute." She winked at Susie, who giggled as Danny cleared his throat.

"Um, so, you want me to tell the story or what?" he asked.

"The floor is all yours, baby," Lindsay said, resting her hand on Danny's thigh and giving his leg a quick squeeze. "We're all ears."

Danny took another swig of his beer before continuing, filling Susie in on Flack's lawn chair, their brush with the wrong side of the law back in Bozeman, and Flack's reaction when he learned of their illicit activities.

"Oh, my God!" Susie exclaimed, "You guys are terrible!"

Lindsay grinned across the table at her friend and Danny chuckled into his beer.

"Did you guys really… you know…" she raised her eyebrows suggestively at the couple across from her. "Oh, God, Lindsay! In your parents' front yard?"

Danny wiggled his eyebrows at her before downing the last of his beer. "Okay, who's ready for another?" he asked, playfully avoiding the question.

"I could do with another Cosmo!" Susie said, waving her now empty glass at him.

"Linds? Anything?" he asked.

"Mmm… I'll have a diet coke," she said, smiling up at Danny as he stood to head to the bar. "Hurry back, baby."

He winked at her over his shoulder as he strode away.

"I'm going to go to the ladies room," Lindsay said, pushing herself up from the booth.

"I'll hold down the fort while you're gone," Susie replied as Lindsay turned and rounded their booth, heading off down the hall toward the washrooms.

Susie sipped absentmindedly at her drink, looking around the bar as she waited for her friends to return. She noticed Danny chatting with the bartender as he placed their orders. As Danny turned with their drinks in his hands to head back toward the table, Susie's eyes widened as she saw Veronica making a beeline for him, deliberately placing herself in Danny's path. She collided with him, causing him to fumble with the drinks before he regained his grip. Susie felt her blood begin to boil as Veronica rested her hand on Danny's forearm, flashing him a toothy smile.

To his credit, Danny smiled politely and nodded at her apology for bumping into him before trying to extricate himself from her grasp, but the waitress was having none of it. She angled herself in his path once again, flicking her hair back over her shoulder and sticking out her chest.

Susie could hear Danny's voice above the quiet chatter of the other bar patrons as he tried again to get back to his table with the drinks.

"No, really, Veronica. Don't worry about it. It's pretty crowded in here. It could happen to anyone."

"I know, Danny," Veronica purred, "But I just feel really bad, you know? I mean, you almost spilled your drinks all over yourself, got your shirt all wet. I feel terrible."

"Yeah, well," Danny said, "Like I said, it's no big deal. Now, if you'll excuse me, my wife and her friend are waiting for their drinks."

"Oh," Veronica said, and Susie could hear the pout in her voice. "Well, let me know if you need anything else, okay Danny? Anything at all."

"Um… okay," Danny said. He stepped around the waitress, setting the drinks down on the table and taking his seat. "Hey, Susie. Where's Linds?"

"In the bathroom," Susie said, her gaze still focused on the blonde waitress who was now glaring at their table from the bar, a pout on her full lips after being brushed off. Susie rolled her eyes at the young woman before turning back to Danny giving him a hard stare. "Are you completely blind?" she asked.

Danny looked back at her, confusion written all over his face. "Um… excuse me?"

"I mean, seriously. Are you blind?"

"Okay… not sure what you're talking about," he said, raising his beer and taking a sip.

"Lindsay said you were oblivious, but I mean really. That girl was all over you!" Susie exclaimed. "Are you seriously telling me that you didn't notice?"

Danny looked over to where Veronica was standing by the bar. She noticed Danny and Susie watching her and quickly averted her gaze, pretending to be busy wiping down the bar top. Danny sat thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to Susie, who was still watching him carefully.

"I don't know," he said. "I mean, I guess I never thought about it before." He shrugged his shoulders before continuing. "I just… I'm not even remotely interested, you know?"

"Yeah, well even if you're not interested, she sure is."

"What do you want me to do, Susie?" Danny asked. "I mean, she knows I'm married. I come here with Linds all the time. I've never made a pass at her - I barely even look at her. Besides, she's just a kid. What would she want with me?"

"Danny, you're what? 31? 32?" Susie asked. "It's not like you're some decrepit old man, and she's not exactly a kid. You've got maybe 8 or 10 years on her - that's it."

"So?"

"So? Do you need me to spell it out for you?" Susie asked, raising her eyebrows at Danny. "You're not a bad looking guy, Danny. You've got a good job, you're funny, smart, friendly – maybe too friendly – and she's obviously interested in you." Susie sighed as Danny stared silently back at her. "I just… I know that sometimes Lindsay is a little insecure, you know? And I think that even if it doesn't faze you, it hurts her to see you so nonchalant about the whole thing."

"I'm not being nonchalant, Susie," Danny said, his voice low. "I really… I just…" he sighed, running his fingers through his hair, searching for the words to make Susie understand. "Since I met Lindsay, it's like all other women just pale in comparison, you know? She's like… she's like a bright light when everything else is dull and grey. And maybe I do have blinders on, maybe I am being oblivious. But it's not intentional. I just… I don't see other women that way, and I guess it surprises me when anyone other than Lindsay looks at me with even the slightest bit of interest." He looked down at his beer, picking at the label on the bottle before lifting his head to meet Susie's gaze. "I love my wife, Susie. And I would never want to hurt her like that."

"Wow," Susie said softly, wiping the tears from her eyes with her fingertips. "Danny, that was really beautiful." She blew her nose and gave him a wide smile. "Have you ever thought about telling Lindsay exactly what you just told me? I mean, I'm getting all choked up just thinking about it, and you weren't even talking about _me_. Can you imagine how much it would mean to Lindsay to hear exactly how you feel about her?"

Danny stared thoughtfully at Susie before shaking his head, a shy smile on his face. "Nah. It's too corny. She'd just think I was joking around or something…"

"I think you're wrong, Danny," Susie interjected. "I don't think she would laugh at you. I think she would just fall even more in love with you than she already is… if that's even possible."

"Really? You think?" Danny said. He bit his lip, nodding his head. "I might just do that. Thanks, Susie," He smiled as he once again picked at the label on his beer. "You're right, though. I should pay more attention, be more vigilant and more vocal if I feel like a woman is coming on too strong. I mean, the thought of seeing someone coming on to Lindsay like that makes my skin crawl."

"Jealousy can be a dangerous thing, Danny," Susie said. "I'm a prime example of that. It ruined my marriage. Jealousy crept in, we never talked about it, and before we knew what had happened, jealousy turned into suspicion, and our trust for one another went right out the window. And once you lose that trust, it's a hard thing to get back."

"Shit. I'm sorry, Susie."

"Ah, water under the bridge. I think we're better as friends than we ever were as a couple. It's all good," Susie said. "But I'm really happy for you two. I'm glad you found one another."

"Thanks," Danny said. He smiled at the woman across the table from him before he downed the last of his beer. Setting the bottle back on the table, he felt soft fingers stroking the back of his neck and he turned to see Lindsay standing beside the booth. She smiled down at him before pressing a kiss to his forehead.

"Hey, baby," she said. "You want to dance?"

Danny turned to Susie, giving her a little wink. "You mind if we abandon you here by yourself for a few minutes?" he asked.

"Don't worry about me," Susie said, waving them off. "I'm a big girl, and I can look after myself. You kids go have fun."

Smiling, Danny stood from the booth, taking Lindsay's hand in his, leading her to the dance floor.

**

* * *

**

**So… you're probably all wondering where the heck the shower scene went, right? Well even if you're not, I feel a teensy weensy explanation is in order. See, I started writing a shower scene for this story, I really did. But it kind of took on a life of it's own, so I decided to post it instead as it's own little one-shot called "It's How You Play the Game".**

**Anyways, so after finishing that story, I really didn't have it in me to do another shower scene right away, so I've decided to forgo it for now (but not for good – we may yet see something like that High School Daze!). I also felt that I was getting a bit too caught up with the whole **_**Flack vs. The Baby Maker. **_**And although it was entertaining, I felt that the plot had kind of stalled and I really wanted to kick start it once again, because I have a lot of ideas for what I want to see happen in this story, and I needed to start making things happen again. (And before you say it - we still have yet to find out what Flack's plan for revenge will be… don't worry. I haven't forgotten about that!). **

**Anyways, I hope that you're not too disappointed by this chapter, and that you're still looking forward to more! ****As always, reviews are most welcome!**


	28. So It Begins

**A/N: Hello my lovelies! I hope you're all excited to see yet another update to this story! I actually finished this one on Saturday, and I suddenly realized that I hadn't posted it yet. Yeah... kind of a forehead smacking moment for me there. But fortunately, this is a wrong that is easily righted! :D**

**Can I just say that I *love* the fact that you were all so happy to see Susie make her grand re-appearance? Yay! Go Susie! And of course, I did promise that we'd get to see drunk Lindsay at some point in the future, so... you're welcome! ;)**

**Anyways, onwards and upwards... for your reading pleasure - Chapter 28!**

* * *

Susie smiled, stirring her drink as she watched Danny and Lindsay out on the dance floor. She couldn't help but feel an extraordinary sense of relief at seeing her friend so happy. The two of them had lost track of one another after graduation, and Susie blamed herself for that. She had promised herself she would keep in touch with Lindsay, but once that first summer following grad had finished, she had quickly been overwhelmed by a demanding university schedule, then after that, work, marriage and her own family.

Over the years she had worried about her friend. Many times she'd sat at her kitchen table, itching to pick up the phone and call Lindsay's parents to get her number, wondering whatever had happened to Lindsay Monroe. Was she alright? Was she happy? Where was she now?

She knew that Lindsay had struggled through her final year of high school, and that she was looking forward to university, seeing it as a chance for a fresh start. But she still had her demons to face, and Susie had wanted to call her so many times, but something had always stopped her. Taking a sip of her Cosmo, she realized that she had been afraid. Afraid that she would find out that Lindsay hadn't made it, or that she was a mere ghost of the girl she had befriended back in high school.

She knew that the last 15 years hadn't been easy. But Lindsay was strong. She'd made it through, faced her past and she had finally found the happiness she so deserved. Susie sighed in contentment, resting her chin on her hand as she watched Lindsay and her husband swaying together in time to the music, her arms clasped tightly around his neck while he held her close.

Smiling, she cast her mind back to her earlier conversation with Danny. She had wondered if she was crossing a line, speaking to him as she had about Lindsay's insecurities. Really, what business was it of hers? But as the words had come tumbling out of her mouth, she'd relaxed, seeing that Danny hadn't been offended, but instead had been made to open his eyes and be more aware of how his reaction - or lack thereof - to other admiring women was affecting Lindsay. Susie chuckled to herself. It still boggled her mind how completely obtuse guys could be sometimes.

But obtuse or not, when he had spoken to her about his feelings for Lindsay, Susie had been genuinely moved. In her experience, getting a man to open up like that - about anything other than maybe football - was like pulling teeth. But Danny had once again surprised her. Susie wasn't sure why he had opened up to her, possibly because he sensed that she too had Lindsay's best interest at heart. But open up he had, and Susie had felt compelled to share something of herself with him... something that she had never shared with anyone before. The end of her marriage had been devastating, and she wanted him to understand how easy it was to become complacent, and how important it was to keep the lines of communication open between husband and wife.

As she finished the last of her drink, she glanced up at the bar, a smirk crossing her face as she noticed Veronica. The young woman's features were contorted into an unattractive scowl as she watched the couples moving out on the dance floor, her attention focused on one couple in particular. Susie couldn't help but chuckle in amusement when Veronica's dour expression deepened as Danny's hands skimmed lower down his wife's back, coming to rest just above the swell of her backside while Lindsay placed a kiss to his neck. As Veronica stomped off to the kitchen to pick up a food order for one of her tables, Susie hoped that the persistent young woman would finally take the hint, realizing that despite her best efforts, Danny was not only taken, but absolutely and completely uninterested in anything the young waitress had to offer.

* * *

Lindsay smiled as she sipped at her coffee, wrapping her hands around the warm mug, letting the hot liquid wake her up. She poured a second cup, carrying it carefully back to the bedroom with her. She stood in the doorway for a moment, admiring the form of her husband who still slept soundly in their bed, his light snores nearly drowned out by the sound of the early morning traffic on the street below.

"Hey, baby," she said, setting down the steaming mugs of coffee on Danny's bedside table before she crawled over him back onto her side of the bed. "Come on, honey. It's time to get up."

Danny moaned as he buried his face in his pillow, pulling the covers up over his head.

"Danny, you have to go to work soon. You need to get up," she said, resting her hand on the lump on the bed that was her husband. "Look... I made you coffee. And I'll make you breakfast while you have your shower, okay?"

Finally, the mound of blankets on Danny's side of the bed began to move as he poked his head out from his cocoon, peering blearily at her over the edge of the covers. She couldn't help the chuckle that escaped her lips at the messy tufts of hair that sprung up all over his head. She ran her fingers through his hair and pressed a kiss to his forehead before she began tugging on the blankets.

He let out a huge yawn, stretching lightly before he gave her a lopsided smile.

"Mornin' babe," he said, his voice low and gravelly. He rolled over onto his side, resting his head on her lap. "I didn't expect you to get up before me," he mumbled. "Figured I'd be the one dragging you out of bed this morning after all those Cosmos you downed."

"What can I tell you?" Lindsay said, smiling as she tangled her fingers in his hair, gently massaging his scalp. "I have the stomach of a concrete elephant."

"That's not what you said last time you went out drinking at Sullivan's," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "And whatever it is you're trying to do to me here with your fingers... babe, you'd better stop or I'm gonna fall right back to sleep."

"You like that?"

"Mmm... feels good."

She smiled as she reached over and grabbed the mugs from the bedside table, letting the aroma of fresh coffee waft over Danny as he struggled to wake up.

"Come on, sleepyhead. Sit up and drink your coffee."

"Do I have to?" Danny groaned. "Mac would understand, right? If I called in and told him that I was gonna stay home today and have a lazy stay-in-bed day with my beautiful wife?"

"Yeah... right. Let me know how that works out for you," Lindsay laughed. "Come on... up!" She wiggled her legs, disturbing his resting place and forcing him to sit up. He glared at her, taking the offered coffee cup from her hands and leaning back against the headboard.

"Why you gotta be so mean?" he whined as he sipped his coffee. "I thought you liked me."

She groaned, rolling her eyes at him. "You're just lucky that I like you so much," she teased. "No one else would put up with you."

"Oh, ow. Ouch," Danny said, placing his hand over his heart. "Oh, man. That really hurt, Linds." She giggled at his mock-wounded expression. "You know what? I think I will go to work. Don't wanna stay home with you if you're gonna be all mean like that."

"Oh shut up," she said, silencing his protests with a kiss. "You know you love it."

"Mmm," Danny sighed, "I think that I might need a little more convincing."

Lindsay laughed, pressing her lips to his once more, this time letting the kiss linger for a moment before she pulled away.

"Better?"

"Sorry, babe. Wasn't paying attention. What was that last part?" he replied, giving her a cheeky wink.

"Oh, piss off!" she said, laughing as she grabbed a pillow, landing a firm hit to his face. "Go. Shower. Now."

"Alright. Alright," he said, downing the last of his coffee. "I'm going. Jeez. No need to get violent."

"Get!" she said, smacking his ass as he got up from the bed and headed into the bathroom.

* * *

"Hey, Linds?" Danny called out from the bathroom as he finished getting ready.

"Yeah, Dan?"

"What time did you say you were gonna meet Susie for coffee today?"

"Um... 4, I think. After her conference is finished for the day. Why?" Lindsay asked as she stirred the pan of scrambled eggs on the stove-top.

"Just wondering." She heard his footsteps approaching and she turned and smiled at him as he walked into the kitchen, dressed and ready for the day. "I really like her, Linds," he said as he pressed a kiss to her cheek, sneaking a finger-full of egg from the pan. "She's really nice. And I'm glad to see the two of you hitting it off so well after so many years apart."

"Me too," Lindsay replied. "I forgot how much fun she is."

Danny smiled at her before taking down two plates from the cupboard and setting them on the counter beside the stove. He grabbed the butter from the fridge and began spreading it over the toast that had just popped up from the toaster. He passed her one of the plates, waiting until she had spooned some eggs over the toast before switching plates with her so she could give the second one the same treatment.

They sat at the dining room table, eating in silence for a few minutes. Lindsay watched as Danny toyed with the remaining crumbs of his breakfast, sensing that he had something on his mind.

"Danny? Is something wrong?" she asked.

"What?" he asked, looking up at her. "Oh no, Linds. Nothing's wrong." He looked at her thoughtfully for a minute before reaching out and taking her hand in his. "It's just... Susie said something to me last night that really... well, it made me think."

"About what?"

"Linds, did Susie ever tell you why her marriage ended?" he asked, gently stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"No. Why?"

"She told me last night that she and her husband split because they couldn't trust one another any more," he said. "She didn't tell me everything, just that there had been some jealousy and that they never dealt with it. And eventually... I got the feeling that although nothing actually happened... well, it might as well have for all the damage it did."

"Danny... where are you going with this?" Lindsay asked nervously. "Are you saying... what are you saying?"

"I'm saying... I'm saying that I love you, Linds. And I want to make sure that you know you're the most beautiful girl in the world to me, sweetheart. You always will be," he said, giving her fingers a little squeeze. "I want you to know that the reason I don't make a big deal about... about other girls, you know... looking at me..." He blushed, staring down at their joined hands. "Well, it's because I know that I'm not interested. I'm yours, baby. And nothing is ever gonna change that." He held up his hands as Lindsay was about to speak. "But that doesn't give me the right to make you feel like I don't care that it bothers you. Because I do. And for that, I am so sorry, Linds."

Danny held his breath as Lindsay stared back at him silently for a moment.

"She told you?"

"Baby, please don't be angry with Susie," he sighed. "She only brought it up to tell me what an idiot I was being... and how I was hurting you."

"I just... I can't believe she told you..." Lindsay said, her disappointment evident in her voice.

Danny reached out, hooking his finger under her chin and lifting her face so that he could look into her eyes. "Linds... were _you _going to tell me?" he asked. She tried to look away, but he moved his hands to gently cup her face before pressing a soft kiss to her lips. "I'm glad she told me, baby. She cares about you and doesn't want to see you let your idiot husband make you unhappy."

"I love you, Danny," she whispered, taking his hand from her face and placing a kiss to his palm. "And I'm not mad. Or unhappy. I just... I figured that it wasn't a big deal, or that I was overreacting."

"Lindsay, I don't want us to end up some statistic..." Danny replied. "You and me... we can make it. We can beat the odds, babe. But you gotta tell me when something's bothering you, okay?"

"Okay."

"I know it's hard, Lindsay. It's hard for me too," he said. "But I think that our marriage is worth making that extra effort; it's worth stepping outside of our comfort zones. Don't you?"

"I do," she said, smiling back at him. "And Danny?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"For the record... I know that I can trust you... that you're not looking around. I just, I want to make sure that other girls... that they know it too."

"Like Veronica?" he asked, a sheepish smile on his face.

"And Belinda," Lindsay said, practically spitting the name of her high school adversary.

"Right... her too," Danny said. He took Lindsay's hand in his, brushing his lips across her fingers. "We okay, Linds?"

"We're better than okay, Danny."

"Good," he said. "Now, I'm gonna go kiss Lucy goodbye and then I gotta go to work." He stood up, placing a kiss to the top of her head before heading off down the hall to say goodbye to their sleeping daughter. A few moments later, he emerged from the hall, grabbing his gun from the safe on the top shelf of the closet. He smiled at her, coming back across the living room to give her one last kiss before he left. "I'll see you later, sweetie. I love you."

"Bye, Danny. Love you too."

* * *

Danny crouched down, stepping under the crime scene tape before walking over to where Mac and Hawkes were standing at the mouth of a filthy looking alley.

"What we got, boss?" he asked as he sauntered up to them.

"We got a D.B. in the alley. Single gunshot wound to the chest. No signs of a weapon and no shell casings in the area. Lividity puts time of death approximately six hours ago," Hawkes said, bringing Danny up to speed on the scene.

"We thinking it's a dump job?" Danny asked.

"That's the theory we're running with for now," Mac replied. "Danny, I want you to start documenting the scene; Hawkes, you're with the body."

"You got it, Mac," Hawkes replied before heading off down the alley with his forensics case in hand.

Danny snapped on a pair of latex gloves, taking his camera out of his kit and looping the strap over his neck. He was about to follow Hawkes into the alley, when Mac stopped him.

"Hey, Danny," he said.

"Yeah, Mac."

"There was a package on your desk this morning. I figured you wouldn't have time to get to the lab before you came down here, so I brought it with me. It's on the front seat of my truck."

"A package?" Danny asked, wracking his brains, trying to think why someone would deliver a parcel to him at the office. "You're sure it's for me?"

"Well, it has your name on it. And it was on your desk this morning," Mac said, raising his eyebrows at his younger counterpart.

"Sorry, Mac. I didn't mean..."

"It's okay, Danny," Mac replied, smiling as he waved off Danny's attempt to pacify his boss. "Go check it out if you want... I don't think this guy's going anywhere," he said, gesturing down the alley.

"Yeah, thanks, Mac." Danny returned the camera to his kit and made his way back across the street to where Mac's truck was parked. Pulling open the front door, he saw a package wrapped in brown paper, a _World Send Deliveries _sticker affixed to the top with his name written in neat, bold letters.

Furrowing his brow, Danny slit open the box, pulling open the flaps to reveal another box inside with a company label on the top. _Mad-hattan Inc. Fine Men's Hats Since 1955._ His confusion only increased as he wondered who the hell would be sending him something from a hat maker's?

He lifted the lid, rolling his eyes as the contents of the box were revealed to him. He lifted the hand made cowboy hat from the box, turning it over in his hands. A note was pinned to the inner lining and he squinted to read the small, cramped handwriting.

_So it begins, Messer. So it begins.  
__- Flack _

**

* * *

**

*Evil cackle*

**So... looks like Flack is finally starting to put his fiendish plan into action... whatever that might be! Hee hee. I hope you liked my little teaser.**

**Please don't be shy - you know that reviews and comments are always welcome!**


	29. The Best Laid Plans

**A/N: Hello, my ever-so-patient readers! Jeez, I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to update this story. I actually had the beginning written before I even posted the last chapter, but things have been pretty hectic around here the past week and a half, and I've been almost completely MIA from FFNet in that time. So, for those of you who normally get a review from me… please know that if I haven't reviewed yet… it's coming! I just have to play a bit of catch up! The good news? Well, most of the stress is over for at least a few more weeks… but then I'll probably be MIA again the second to lasts week in September.**

**Anywho… can I just say that I love you all sooooo much? Your reviews have made me so very happy. You have no idea! I just adore that you all love Susie as much as I do. And really, grumpy, sleepy, adorable Danny? *Sigh* Can I have one please? As for the conversation between Danny and Lindsay… I'm glad that you approve, because I thought that it was an important thing to get out of the way. Now they both understand and they can move on and be a better, stronger couple! Yay!**

**And now the really important part? So… who has figured out what Flack has planned? I've heard a few theories from you guys. Some are close… some are just plain hilarious! I love it! You guys crack me up!**

**So, having made you wait almost two weeks for an update, I'm sure you're all just itching to see what's happening next. So, that's my cue to shut up and let you get on with it!**

* * *

After spending the majority of his day in a filthy alley, crawling in and out of dumpsters in a fruitless search for evidence in the case he and Hawkes had picked up that morning, Danny was not in the best mood when he returned to the lab. He smelled, he was sore, he was tired, and to top it all off, Flack had picked this particular morning to start whatever shenanigans he had planned to wreak his revenge on Danny. With a sigh he stepped into the elevator, his forensics kit clutched tightly in one hand, the box from Flack tucked under his other arm. He just wanted this day to be over, for there to be no more surprises. He wanted to take a shower, finish up his paperwork and go home to his family.

As the doors slid open on the 35th floor, Danny saw a familiar figure walking down the hall toward the break room. He charged out of the elevator and down the hall, quickly catching up with his quarry.

"Donald Flack!" he shouted. "Stop right where you are!"

Flack stopped in his tracks, turning to face the voice that had bellowed his name. He had to fight hard to suppress a smirk at Danny's appearance. He was covered in a thin film of dirt, his hair was sticking up at all angles, and he was carrying a satisfyingly familiar box in his arms.

"Whew, Danno," Flack said, waving his hand in front of his nose as Danny approached him. "You know, they got these new fangled things called showers. Might wanna check 'em out sometime."

"Fuck you," Danny shot back, stopping in front of his office and fumbling to open the door with his heavily-laden hands. Finally, he managed to hook his pinky finger through the handle, jerking the door open just wide enough for him to insert his foot and kick the door open all the way. "Get your ass in here," he said before he disappeared into the office.

Flack smiled wickedly as Danny dumped his belongings on his desk, following him into the room and pulling the door closed behind him. "What's up with you this fine morning, Danny?" he asked. "You seem a little tense."

"What the hell is this?" Danny asked, pointing to the box on his desk.

"What, you use up all your detective skills at the crime scene this morning?" Flack asked, shaking his head. Danny scoffed in response, rolling his eyes at his friend. "Please… allow me to solve this little mystery for you, Mess," Flack said. "That, my friend, is a box."

"Thank you, Captain Obvious. I know it's a box," Danny replied through gritted teeth. "It's what's inside the box that I wanna know about, you moron."

"Ah! See, now that makes more sense," Flack said. He chuckled as Danny let out an exasperated sigh as he rolled his eyes once again. "Well, if my memory serves me correctly, I'd say that it's a cowboy hat." Flack moved to the box, pulling open the flaps and removing the hat from its wrappings. "Yeah, looks like a nice one too."

Danny stared back at Flack for a moment, disbelief written all over his face. "So… what? That's it?" Danny asked, taking the hat from Flack's hands. "This…is your great revenge?"

Flack nodded his head, smiling broadly as he took the hat back from Danny and set it down on the desk. "Yup. That's it."

"Bullshit."

"Sorry to disappoint, Danny," Flack replied, shrugging his shoulders, "But it's the best I could do."

Danny shook his head, crossing his arms over his chest as he stared at Flack. "No fucking way is that it, Flack," he said. "I know you. You're up to something."

Flack raised his hands in the air in surrender. "I swear to God, Danny. I just saw it and thought you'd like it." He fingered the brim of the hat sadly, his head hung low. "I gotta say, I'm a little hurt that you immediately thought that I was up to something. Way to throw a gesture of friendship right back in my face, Dan."

He peeked at Danny out of the corner of his eye while keeping his head down. He had to bite his lip to keep himself from smiling at the momentary flicker of hesitation he saw on Danny's face as the possibility of having misread the whole situation flashed through his mind.

But then Danny's face broke out into a grin as he grabbed the hat from the desk. "You are so full of shit, you know that?"

Flack grinned right back at Danny, laughing as he nodded his head. "Yeah, well. I almost had you for a second there."

"Whatever," Danny replied. "But seriously, Don… how can you afford something like this? I mean, I've been by that place before and the stuff in there is really expensive."

"Ah, don't worry about it," Flack said, waving off Danny's concern. "Let's just say that the owner owed me a favour." At Danny's inquiring look, he elaborated. "A couple years back I picked his son up on a Drunk and Disorderly. I knew it was a case of a good kid with bad friends, so I took him home with a warning instead of writing him up. Kid's been on the straight-and-narrow ever since, and the father just wanted to show his gratitude. Plus… the hat was an extra. He made it for another order and the customer backed out at the last second. So he was looking to get rid of it anyway."

Danny shook his head again, smiling as he set the hat back in its box. "This isn't over, is it?" he asked with a sigh.

"You kidding me?" Flack asked. "After what you two put me through? Hell no. You had your fun… and now it's my turn. I take my revenge very seriously." He grinned evilly at his friend. "How's it feel being on the other side, eh Messer?"

"Unnerving," Danny replied, opening his kit and taking out his camera and the few bags of evidence he had collected at the scene. "Just… you know… be nice to Lindsay, alright?"

"Who, me?" Flack asked. "I'm always a gentleman," he said, batting his eyelashes innocently at Danny.

"Oh, ew!" Danny exclaimed, covering his eyes. "Don't ever do that eye thing to me again, okay? It's fucking creepy."

"Okay, okay," Flack laughed. "Now, don't you have some evidence to process… and a shower to take?" he asked. "Because seriously, man. You stink."

"Fuck off," Danny replied as he waved his hand, wafting his scintillating aroma in Flack's direction before he headed for the door. "Don't you have some work to do yourself?"

"Yeah, I do. But some crazy dude dragged me into his office to yell at me," Flack said, shrugging his shoulders and ducking to avoid the pencil that Danny had thrown at him.

He watched as Danny trudged down the hall toward the AV lab to drop off his camera. Danny's reaction had been priceless – exactly what Flack had hoped for. He smiled to himself as he left the office and sauntered off down the hall. Getting even was going to be fun.

* * *

Lindsay sat down at a small table by the window in the coffee house across the street from the lab. She had left Susie a message to meet her here once her conference was over so that they could catch up and take a few minutes together before heading upstairs to meet everyone. As she sipped at her coffee, she stole a quick glance down at Lucy who was sleeping peacefully in her stroller. She smiled as the little girl let out a small sigh and snuggled down into her blanket.

She felt her phone vibrating in her pocket and she pulled it out, a smile tugging at the corner of her lips as she saw the name on the caller ID.

"Hey, baby."

"Hey. Where are you?"

"We're just in the coffee place across the street," Lindsay said. "We're just waiting for Susie then we'll be up in a few minutes. What are you up to?"

"Ah, same old same old. Climbing around in a dumpster for most of the day, so I'm just about to jump in the shower," Danny replied.

"Poor baby. Do you want anything?"

"Well, if you're offering… You could come and help me wash my back."

"Danny!"

"What? Oh well… I guess I'll just have to settle for a large black coffee then," Danny sighed, but Lindsay could hear the smile in his voice.

"You got it, babe. Now go clean up, you dirty boy," Lindsay giggled.

"I love you," he said. "Come find me when you get up here, okay?"

"I will. Love you too," Lindsay replied before ending the call and returning her phone to her pocket. She heard the front door chime and looked up just in time to see Susie push her way into the crowded coffee house. She spotted Lindsay and waved before getting in line at the front counter to place her order. Within a few minutes, she was walking toward Lindsay's table with a steaming hot coffee in her hand.

"Hey!" Susie called out as she dropped into the chair across from Lindsay. "God, it is so good to finally see a friendly face. I've been looking forward to seeing you again all day!"

"Me too," Lindsay replied, a wide smile on her face at her friend's enthusiasm. "How was your conference?"

"Ugh," Susie said, rolling her eyes. "You know how these things are. Hours and hours of boring lectures followed by awkward small talk with people you don't know." She grinned at Lindsay over her coffee cup and gave her a little wink. "But on the plus side… it's over for today and I'm all yours for a few hours! So what are we going to do with ourselves?"

"Well… I thought we might visit the lab and see who's there," Lindsay said tentatively. "You wanted to meet my friends, right?"

"Oh, I do!" Susie said, nodding her head enthusiastically. "That's a great idea. And then after, can I please, please take you out for dinner? I wanted last night to be my treat, but Danny was too quick and got the tab before I could."

"Yeah… he does that," Lindsay said, shaking her head and smiling. "When we first started dating I actually had to hide his wallet, just so I could take him out for dinner once in a while."

"Aw… that's actually kind of sweet," Susie said. "Annoyingly chivalrous of course, but also completely adorable at the same time."

"That's one way of putting it, I guess," Lindsay laughed.

"So, shall we go?" Susie asked.

"Sure. Just let me go get a coffee for Danny and we'll head upstairs," Lindsay said as she stood. She pushed Lucy's stroller to the counter where she ordered and paid for a large black coffee. As she was putting her wallet away, Susie took the coffee from the barista and the two of them walked out onto the street, crossing at the corner and heading into the building that housed the lab.

At the front desk, Lindsay signed Susie in, getting her a visitor's pass before they made their way to the elevator and up to the 35th floor. As the doors slid open, Susie let out a long, low whistle.

"Wow… this place is impressive!" she said.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Lindsay said, smiling as she maneuvered Lucy's stroller out into the hall. "Apparently the lab used to be in another building across town, but about a month before I started they moved in here." She looked around the lab, taking it in with fresh eyes. "I have to admit that it was a far cry from the Crime Lab in Bozeman. I was pretty blown away when I first started."

"Yeah, I can see why," Susie said, following Lindsay down the hall. They stopped in front of an office and Susie smiled when she saw the name plates on the door:

_Detective D. Messer  
__Detective L. Messer_

"Aw! You guys share an office!" she said. "That's too cute. Convenient too, I bet." She winked at Lindsay.

"Susie!" Lindsay protested, giggling as she pulled open the door, "In case you hadn't noticed, the walls are made of glass!"

"Uh huh," Susie said, rolling her eyes, setting Danny's coffee down on his desk. "I'm so sure that's stopped the two of you from getting a little frisky from time to time." She gave Lindsay a knowing smile. "I've seen you guys, you know… you can't keep your hands off one another for more than a few minutes at a time. Are you seriously asking me to believe that there has never been any hanky-panky in this office?"

Lindsay scoffed at her friend, her cheeks infused with a rosy blush which didn't go unnoticed by Susie.

"I knew it!" she crowed as she settled herself down on the couch against the far wall. "You did! You two got it on in your office!"

"Susie!" Lindsay said, her cheeks now flushed bright pink, "Keep your voice down!"

"Lindsay and Danny sitting in a tree…" Susie began to sing song, "F-U-C-"

"That's enough!" Lindsay laughed, clapping her hand over her friend's mouth, putting an end to her song. Susie winked at Lindsay before breaking out her very best puppy-dog eyes. "Are you done?" Lindsay asked. Susie nodded her head, and Lindsay tentatively removed her hand.

"-K-I-N-G!" Susie finished, doubling over laughing at the exasperated look on Lindsay's face. "Okay, okay," she said, wiping her eyes. She grinned as Lindsay sat down in her chair, shaking her head. "I'm really done now. I promise."

"You're terrible," Lindsay said, a wide smile on her face. "You really are."

Susie grinned at her friend before letting her eyes sweep around the office. "So, are you going to show me around or what?" Susie asked.

"I will," Lindsay replied. "But I'm just going to run Danny's coffee to him. Then I'll take you on the grand tour and introduce you to everyone, okay?"

"Sure thing," Susie replied. "I'll just make myself at home here. You want me to keep an eye on Lucy for you?"

"Would you?" Lindsay asked. "That would be great. She'll probably sleep for a little longer, and I won't be long."

"Hey, you're speaking to the mother of two boys," Susie said. "We'll be fine until you get back."

"Thanks, Susie," Lindsay said, grabbing Danny's coffee and heading off to the locker room. She pushed open the door and walked the length of the room until she came to the row that housed hers and Danny's lockers. Seeing the row empty, she entered the code for Danny's locker, smiling as she saw his clothes hanging neatly on the hooks inside. She raised her eyebrows at the large brown box that sat on the floor of his locker, but decided to ask him about it later. She set the coffee cup on the top shelf, quietly closing the door before making her way toward the showers where she could still hear the sound of running water.

Peering around the corner, she saw that only one stall was occupied and she recognized Danny's towel hanging on the hook beside the closed curtain. With a smirk on her face, she grabbed the towel from the hook and snuck inside the cubicle right beside his, just in time to hear the water shutting off. She held her breath as she listened to the rustle of the curtain, biting her lip to stifle a giggle as she imagined Danny's hand blindly searching for his towel.

"What the fuck?" he grumbled. "Shit. Where's my…"

"Looking for something, cowboy?" Lindsay said, still concealed within the stall next to his.

"Shit, Linds," Danny said, "You scared the crap out of me."

"Sorry, baby," she said.

"Linds? Where are you?"

"Right here," she said sliding out from her hiding place and standing just out of arm's reach of his shower stall, the towel draped across her shoulders. She gave him a flirtatious smile as she took in his appearance. She always found her husband incredibly sexy, but seeing him dripping wet and naked… that was a sight she never tired of. He had pulled back the curtain enough so that she could get a glimpse of his toned body, but it was only a sliver. And after her chat with Susie back in their office, she was feeling more than a little turned on at the sight of him.

Contrary to what Susie seemed to believe, they had never actually been fully intimate at work before. But they had come close a few times – the most recent being just over a week ago when Danny had pressed her up against the very same shower stall he was currently occupying. They had come oh so close, but Flack had conveniently interrupted them before they could get too carried away.

And Lindsay knew it was for the best. She and Danny were very lucky to be able to work together and have a boss and coworkers who supported their relationship – both marital and professional. And she knew that it was vitally important that they didn't take advantage of the trust their teammates had in them. But that didn't mean that she couldn't have a little fun with her husband, did it?

"Linds… come on, honey. Give me my towel please," he said, extending his hand toward her.

"Come and get it," she said, taking a small step back from him.

"Linds!" he laughed. "Please. Come on, no games right now."

"Are you shy, Danny?" Lindsay asked, taking another step back. "Because you really shouldn't be. It's just you and me in here… and I happen to know you've got nothing to be shy about, baby."

Danny rolled his eyes at her. "Fine," he said, snapping the curtain back and revealing his naked body to her. She raked her eyes unabashedly over him, her eyes glazing over slightly as the droplets of water from the shower glistened on his lean, muscular form. He took a step forward and Lindsay took another step back, letting out a little shriek as her back hit the wall across from his stall. He smirked at her, a predatory glint in his eye as he quickly closed the distance between them, standing as close as possible without actually touching her. "Is this better?" he asked, inclining his face toward her, his lips hovering just inches from hers.

"Mmm," she sighed. She wrapped the towel around his neck, keeping hold of the ends as she pulled him closer.

"Babe, I'm gonna get your clothes all wet," he murmured as she began to draw the towel back and forth across his shoulders, each swipe taking the towel a notch lower, drying his back as she went. He braced his arms against the wall behind her as she worked the towel down to the small of his back, his lips brushing gently against her own. When she reached his backside, she gave the towel a forceful little jerk, pulling Danny's body flush with hers and she shivered as she felt his semi hard-on pressing into her belly.

"Danny," she breathed, fighting the urge to grind her hips into his erection.

"Linds…" he panted, bracing himself against the wall once again and pulling back, "…baby, we gotta stop. We can't do this here."

"I know," she groaned, "But… Oh God, I want you so bad."

"You gotta stop doing this to me," Danny chuckled. "You can't keep coming in and attacking me in the locker room, baby. You have no idea how hard it is to walk away from you, leaving us both unsatisfied. But at least you can hide it a little better than I can."

"I'm sorry, Danny," Lindsay sighed. "I didn't mean… I just came in here to give you your coffee… but then I heard the shower still going…"

He smiled down at her as he took the towel from her hands, wrapping it tightly around his waist, his erection still bulging against the fabric. "Do you have any idea how ridiculously happy it makes me to know that you want me like that?" he whispered in her ear. "Knowing that I still turn you on? Baby, it makes me feel like a million bucks." He pressed a chaste kiss to her forehead. "But having to spend the rest of my day in misery because I'm so turned on that any little thing that reminds me of you makes me start to get hard again… not such a big fan of that," he said, shaking his head as he took a step back from her.

"You… oh, God, Danny," Lindsay said, her cheeks blushing. "I had no idea… I didn't even think…"

"Baby, don't worry about it," Danny said. "Just… you know… let's be careful that we don't let it happen again. Or I might just have to put my foot down and make a rule about you and me not being allowed in the locker room at the same time anymore."

"Oh, you're going to put your foot down, are you?" Lindsay giggled.

"Yeah, I am," he said, giving her a little wink.

"I guess I can try to keep my hands to myself," she sighed. "But you have to try to be less sexy."

Danny burst out laughing. "Linds… I spent my whole day rolling around in garbage. I don't think that I could possibly feel any less sexy than I do right now."

Lindsay reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand, smiling as she brushed the pad of her thumb across his lips. "You are so sexy, baby," she said. "And I love you so much."

"I love you too, Linds," Danny said, parting his lips and gently nipping at the soft skin of her thumb before he turned his face, pressing a kiss to the palm of her hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to take a cold shower."

"You want any help?" Lindsay asked.

"No!" Danny laughed, turning and heading back into the shower stall he had only recently vacated, unwrapping the towel from around his waist and hanging it once again on its hook, exposing his perfect, tight backside to her. "And you leave my towel alone," he said giving her a meaningful look.

"Yes, dear," Lindsay said as she turned to leave him to shower in peace. "Oh, Danny?"

"Yeah, babe," he called out over the sound of the rushing water.

"I left your coffee on the top shelf of your locker," she said. "Do you want me to take it and reheat it for you?"

"Nah," he said. "I'll do it after I'm done. Thanks, honey."

"Okay. I'm going to go and show Susie around the lab, introduce her to everyone," she said.

"Alright," he said. "I'll come find you."

* * *

Susie looked up at the sound of the office door opening. She had been reading the romance novel she kept in her purse, glancing over at Lucy every once in a while to ensure that she was still sleeping peacefully.

"Took you long enough," she commented as Lindsay entered the office. "I thought you were just giving Danny his coffee."

"Sorry," Lindsay said as she leaned down to check on Lucy. "Was she alright for you?"

"She was a perfect little angel," Susie assured her friend.

"Alright," Lindsay said, gently pushing the stroller in front of her as she headed out into the hall. "Let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

Susie stood and tossed her empty cup into the garbage, dropping her book back into her purse. "Sounds good."

They walked down the hall together, Lindsay pointing out the different labs and waving to a few colleagues as they went. She poked her head into Mac's office, seeing him sitting behind his desk staring intently at his computer monitor. She gently rapped her knuckles against his door, giving him a little wave when he looked up to see who was there.

"Hey, Mac," she said, pushing open the door. "You got a minute?"

"For you, Lindsay, I have five," he said, smiling as she entered the office.

"Mac, this is my friend Susie Hayes," she said, indicating the petite redhead behind her. "Susie, this is my boss, friend, and Lucy's godfather, Mac Taylor."

"Nice to meet you, Susie," Mac said, extending his hand in greeting.

"Likewise, Mac," Susie said, shaking his hand and giving him a wide smile. "This is a pretty amazing place you run here. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it… except maybe on TV."

"Thank you," Mac replied, beaming at her compliment. "We're take a lot of pride in having one of the most technologically advanced crime labs in the country… not to mention some of the best forensic scientists in the world," he said, nodding his head at Lindsay, who blushed at his praise. "So, is this the Susie that I overheard Danny talking about this morning?" Mac asked. "You're visiting from Montana, is that right?"

"Not exactly," Susie explained. "I'm from Montana – Lindsay and I went to high school together – but after college I moved to Denver where I work as a science teacher."

"Well, welcome to New York," Mac said, giving her a warm smile.

"Thank you," Susie replied. Their conversation was cut short as Mac's phone began to ring and he excused himself to answer the call. "It was nice to meet you," Susie said as she and Lindsay turned to go in search of other members of the team.

"You too," Mac called out before picking up his phone. "Mac Taylor," he said, pressing the phone to his ear.

The rest of his conversation was drowned out as his office door closed behind the two women. "That was your boss?" Susie asked, shaking her head as they meandered down the hall. "Nice. My boss is a crotchety 60-year old man who seems to think that women have no place teaching anything other than Home Economics, or maybe English."

"Yeah, Mac's great," Lindsay said. "He can be pretty intense… and he and Danny haven't always seen eye to eye. But he's very protective of us all, and he's really a big sweetheart once you get past the kind of stark military front that he puts on."

"So, who's next on your list?" Susie asked, rubbing her hands together in anticipation.

"Well, I don't see anyone in any of the labs… so maybe we'll just head to the break room. See if anyone's there."

Susie nodded her agreement and Lindsay smiled as she saw a few familiar faces sitting at a table in the corner of the room.

"Hey guys," she said, giving her friends a small wave as she pushed open the door.

"Lindsay!" Stella exclaimed, "I didn't expect to see you today. Danny said you had the day off and were spending some time with a friend from out of town… and this must be her," Stella said, noticing Susie peeking out from behind Lindsay. "Hi there. Stella Bonasera."

"Susie Hayes."

"And Susie, this is Adam Ross and Sheldon Hawkes."

"Hey," Susie said, waving in greeting at the two men.

"Oh… uh, hi. I'm Adam," Adam said, standing and reaching awkwardly over the table to shake Susie's hand.

"Hi Adam," Susie said, biting her lip to keep from giggling at the young man's obvious nervous enthusiasm. "And you're… Sheldon?" she asked, turning to Hawkes.

"That's right. It's nice to meet you," Hawkes said, shaking Susie's hand.

"He's a doctor," Adam said as he took his seat.

Susie grinned at Lindsay before nodding her head at Adam. "Really? And what are you, Adam?" she asked.

"Me? Oh… um… well…"

"He's a socially awkward scientist," Lindsay said as she sat down in a vacant chair at the table, pulling Lucy's stroller close so she could keep an eye on her. "I'm kidding," she laughed. "Adam is our go-to-guy when we just can't figure something out. He's also kind of a genius when it comes to computers." She gave Adam a reassuring wink before she gently nudged him in the ribs. "Isn't that right?"

"Um… uh… If you say so," he said, his face turning bright red.

"I do say so," Lindsay said.

"What do you do, Susie?" Stella asked.

"Well, I'm a science teacher in Denver," she explained. "I'm just here for a conference… which is perfect because it gives me and Lindsay the chance to do some long-overdue catching up."

"We were friends in high school," Lindsay explained.

"Oh, so did you guys meet up at the reunion?" Hawkes asked.

"That's right," Susie answered. "I was so surprised to see Lindsay there…" She turned and smiled at her friend. "I didn't know if she'd come, after what she went through back then. But I can tell you that I'm so glad she did, because she was one of the few people that I actually wanted to see again."

"And… so what's the verdict?" Stella asked. "How does our girl measure up after 15 years?"

"I have to say I'm pretty impressed," Susie said, smiling at Stella. "She's got herself a pretty amazing life here. She's got a great job which she obviously loves, a group of friends that seem really nice, and her family?" She nudged Lindsay with her elbow. "Well, Lucy's a beautiful little girl."

"And…" Stella said, wiggling her eyebrows at Susie, "What about her hubby? Not too shabby, eh?"

"Who, Danny?" Susie asked. "Meh. He's alright, I guess." She grinned at Lindsay, who rolled her eyes. "Seriously, though. I'm so happy for you, Linds. You beat the odds and you've made a great life for yourself. I am so incredibly proud of you."

"Shut up," Lindsay said, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. She looked up and gave her friends a watery smile. "God… you made me cry."

"Oh, please. Like that's so hard to do," Stella said, dabbing discreetly at her own eyes. "I've seen you cry at long-distance phone plan commercials, Linds."

"That was one time!" Lindsay laughed, defending herself. "And in my defense, I was eight months pregnant and incredibly hormonal at the time."

"And I think that's our cue to leave, right Adam?" Hawkes said, smiling and standing up. "Once you ladies start talking about hormones, we bachelors are in uncharted territory."

"Oh, you guys don't have to go," Lindsay said. "We promise to talk about sports…"

"And we'll even grunt and give each other high-fives if it will make you feel better," Susie added.

"Um… that's okay," Adam said, standing as well. "Besides, my break's over and I gotta get some evidence processed for Danny before my shift is over."

"It was nice to meet you both," Susie said.

"You too," Hawkes said. "Enjoy your stay in New York."

"Thanks. I will!"

As the two men left, Lindsay turned her attention to Lucy who had begun to fuss as she woke from her nap. "Hey, Luce," Lindsay soothed her little girl, gently picking her up from her stroller and cradling her in her arms until she was settled, her big blue eyes taking in the faces around her. "Hi, sweetie. Did you have a good sleep?"

Lucy responded by letting out a huge yawn and resting her head against Lindsay's shoulder.

"God, Linds," Susie said in awe, "She looks exactly like Danny."

"I know, right?" Lindsay said, smiling at her daughter. "She's got his eyes and his colouring. But I think she has my nose."

"And your mouth, hopefully," Stella added. "Because God help us all if she has a mouth as big as Danny's."

All three of them burst out laughing, and Lindsay smiled as her daughter started to giggle. "What are you laughing at, Lucy?" she asked.

"Dada!" Lucy squealed.

"Yes, we were talking about Daddy. That's right!" Lindsay praised her daughter.

"Dada!" Lucy said again, pointing across the room. Lindsay looked up to see Danny standing out in the hallway talking to Adam, oblivious to his admiring audience. "Dada!"

"You wanna go see Daddy?" Lindsay asked. She smiled as Lucy nodded her head enthusiastically. She set her on the floor, giving her a little pat on her bottom and sending her off toward the door. She grinned at Stella and Susie as Lucy pressed her nose against the door, banging her little hand against the glass.

"Dada!"

Adam noticed her first, smiling and nudging Danny before pointing toward the break room. A huge smile spread across Danny's face as he clapped Adam on the shoulder before making his way toward his daughter. She squealed in delight as he leaned down and tapped on the glass, sticking his tongue out at her before he reached for the handle. He pulled gently on the door, making sure that Lucy didn't lose her balance.

"There's my girl," he said once the door was open and Lucy had thrown herself at him, wrapping her arms around his legs and burying her face in his knees, giggling wildly. He picked her up, flipping her upside down and blowing a raspberry on her tummy, sending her into paroxysms of giggles. "How's my Lucybear?" he asked.

"Danny! Don't hold her upside down!" Lindsay admonished him gently, rolling her eyes at her friends, a wide grin on her face as she watched her husband and daughter interact.

"Why not?" he asked. "She loves it. Don't you, squirt?"

"'Qwirt!" Lucy giggled. "Yoo-see 'quirt!"

"See? She's fine," he said.

"Danny!" He looked up at his wife, grinning as he noticed he was being observed by three pairs of critical eyes.

"Fine," he sighed, gently turning Lucy so she was right-side-up.

"Dada, again!" Lucy pleaded, leaning over so she was dangling sideways from his arms. "Again!"

"Sorry, Luce," Danny said, giving Lindsay an impish grin as he pulled Lucy right-side-up again. "Mommy has spoken. No more upsy-daisies."

"See-day-see!" Lucy said. "P'ease, Mama! See-day-see!"

Lindsay rolled her eyes as Danny sat down beside her, Lucy happily bouncing on his lap as she babbled away at him.

"Ladies," he said, smiling at Susie and Stella. "Hey… again," he said to Lindsay as he leaned forward to press a kiss to her cheek.

"Hey," she said. "You have a nice shower?" she asked, a smirk on her face.

"You're mean," he said, winking at her.

"You love it," she said, reaching out and resting her hand on the nape of his neck, her fingers gently stroking the short hairs on the back of his head. "Did you get your coffee?" she asked. He smiled at her and nodded.

"Yeah, thanks," he said. "It was still kinda warm, so I just chugged it."

"Attractive," Lindsay mused as she dropped her hand from his neck to his thigh, squeezing his leg gently with her fingers. "Hey, what was in the box in your locker, baby?" she asked. He rolled his eyes, letting out a resigned sigh.

"It's Flack…" he began.

"Really? Flack was in the box?" Lindsay teased.

"Yeah, Flack was in the box, Lindsay," Danny deadpanned, rolling his eyes at her. "No, what I was going to say before I was so rudely interrupted…ow!" he exclaimed as Lindsay smacked his arm, "Was that Flack sent me – or us, I guess – a little taste of revenge for… well, you know…" he trailed off. Lindsay looked at him quizzically, so he leaned in, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear as he explained what was in the box.

"Oh, God," Lindsay giggled. "What an idiot. So is that it? That's his revenge? Seems pretty tame to me."

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I doubt it," he said. "He's up to something. I can tell. He's all smug and evasive. It makes me really nervous when he does that."

"You know, you brought this on yourself," Lindsay said, leaning in and kissing his cheek. "You never should have pulled that condom prank on him."

They shared knowing grins with one another before Stella cleared her throat, reminding them that there were two other people at the table.

"Sorry, ladies." Danny said sheepishly. "Nice to see you again, Susie. You have a good day? Your conference go alright?"

"The conference was… a conference," she said, smiling. "But my day is getting better. I hope you don't mind if I steal your wife from you tonight. I'm taking her out for dinner."

"Nice. So it's just you and me tonight, kiddo," he said to Lucy, chuckling as she grabbed his dog tags and stuck them in her mouth.

"Oh, you know what?" Stella said, "A friend of mine told me all about this special that's going on this week. It's dinner for two at that new place down on Broadway and tickets to see Guys and Dolls." She turned to Susie, "You two should go. You can't come to New York without seeing a Broadway show, Susie. It's just sacrilegious."

"You said you wanted to see a show while you were here, right?" Lindsay asked. "Guys and Dolls okay?"

"Oh, my God!" Susie shrieked excitedly. "That would be so amazing!"

"Stell? You wanna come too?" Lindsay asked.

"Oh, I'd love to," Stella said, "But I'm on the late shift tonight. You two have fun."

"Thanks, Stella," Lindsay said, leaning forward and embracing Stella tightly.

"What about you, Danny," Susie asked. "Do you want to come?"

Danny stared blankly back at her. "To… to see… Guys and Dolls?" he asked, incredulously. "No thanks," he scoffed, grinning at Susie. "Not enough money in the world to make me sit through that crap."

"Kwap!" Lucy said before she shoved Danny's dog tags back in her mouth.

"Danny!" Lindsay said.

"Sorry," he sighed. "Luce… you're getting Daddy in all kinds of trouble today."

"Yup," she giggled. "Kwap."

"You know," Lindsay said, leaning in and giving Danny a serious stare. "If I didn't love you so much, I'd kick your butt so hard."

"Maybe we should make him come," Susie suggested. "As a punishment." She giggled at the disbelieving look Danny gave her.

"Oh, man," he said. "I got no chance when you guys start ganging up on me."

"Well… are you going to go or not?" Stella asked. Danny shook his head forcefully. "Not even for your beautiful wife?" she teased.

"Stell, Lindsay knows that I would do pretty much anything for her," Danny said seriously. "But she also knows that making me sit through a musical with her is pushing it a bit too far."

"But…" Susie began, but was cut off by Danny.

"I'll tell you what," Danny said. "They make _Die Hard _into a musical and I'll be first in line, alright? But until then, Linds doesn't make me go to musicals, and I don't make her watch horror movies with me, _capiche_?"

"Gotcha," Susie said, nodding her head. "So, looks like it's you and me, Linds. You ready for a girl's night on the town?"

"Definitely," Lindsay said, checking her watch. "Do you need to get changed before dinner? Because I need to get Lucy home, call a sitter, get cleaned up… so we'd better go now if we're going to make it."

"Babe, just leave her here with me," Danny said. "I'm off in half an hour and I've just got paperwork to catch up on from this morning, so I can keep an eye on her and you don't have to rush around."

"Well, I should still change…" Lindsay said.

"Babe, you look fine," Danny said, giving her a smile. "Beautiful as always. Just go. Have fun. I'll see you later."

"You're sure?"

"Lindsay! Will you please just get out of here? Or else I might just decide to come with you… and then you'll be sorry," Danny threatened, his tone teasing. "I might feel the need to sing along… maybe make loud and obnoxious comments about how inappropriate it is for grown men to prance around on stage playing dress up…"

"Okay, okay!" Lindsay said, laughing as she stood up from the table. She kissed Lucy's cheek, then Danny's before she turned to thank Stella once again for her great idea.

Susie winked at Danny, silently mouthing a thank you to him for giving her and Lindsay the chance to have a girl's night out. He smiled at her in return. "You just make sure I get her back in one piece," he said.

"Yes sir," Susie said, giving him a small salute. "Bye cutie!" she said to Lucy who waved a tiny hand at her. "Bye Stella. It was nice to meet you."

"You too. You girls have fun," she said. "I wanna hear all about it tomorrow, Lindsay."

"You bet. Thanks again, Stell," Lindsay said as she and Susie turned to leave the room.

"Just a minute, Mrs. Messer," Danny called out. Lindsay turned to see him stand and hand Lucy over to Stella. He walked over to her, wrapping his arms around her and capturing her lips in a soft and loving kiss. "You behave yourself, okay?" he murmured, his lips skimming against hers. "And call me when you're on your way home."

"I will. I love you."

"Love you too," he said, kissing her once again before releasing her from his arms and watching her as she walked down the hall, arm in arm with Susie, the two of them chatting excitedly about their plans for the evening. He turned back to Stella, taking Lucy from her and flipping her upside down, smiling as she giggled in his arms.

"Danny!" Stella exclaimed, "Lindsay just said…"

"What Lindsay doesn't know won't hurt her, right Luce?" he asked, kissing Lucy's button nose and winking at Stella.

"Dada! See-day-see!" Lucy giggled.

Stella rolled her eyes at Danny, smiling as she watched him settle his little girl back in her stroller. "Thanks for setting Linds and Susie up tonight, Stell," he said as he buckled Lucy into her seat.

"Hey, it's my pleasure," she said falling into step beside him as they walked down the hall. "Now, you be good for your Daddy tonight, okay Lucy? And no more upsy-daisies, Danny." She wagged her finger at him. "That was a freebie. But next time I see you do it, I'm telling Lindsay."

"No one likes a tattle-tale, Stella," Danny said, grinning at her. She raised her eyebrows at him before shaking her head. She kissed his cheek and waved goodbye to Lucy before she headed off down the hall.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Danny was standing outside their apartment door, fumbling for his keys. He'd finished his shift and made his way home with Lucy in her stroller. He'd stopped on the way to pick up a pizza from Ray's and was now trying to balance the pizza in one hand while opening the door with the other. Finally, he singled out the right key and inserted it in the lock, turning the handle and shoving the door open. He pushed Lucy's stroller through the door ahead of him, kicking the door closed with his foot as he reached for the light switch.

As the lights in the apartment blazed to life, Danny's eyes went wide at the sight in front of him, nearly dropping the pizza on the floor in his shock. He let out a groan, a wry smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he tossed his keys on the table beside the door and reached into his pocket to retrieve his cell phone. He dialed a familiar number and waited while it rang.

"Flack," the voice on the other end of the line answered.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," Danny practically hissed into the phone. "What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Ah… so you got my surprise," Flack laughed. "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" he asked, cackling evilly before he hung up.

Danny stared down at his phone, the message on the screen telling him that the call had been disconnected. He wasn't sure whether he was angry, amused, or if he was just in shock. But one thing was certain… Flack wasn't kidding when he said he took revenge seriously.

**

* * *

**

*Bats eyelashes innocently* Whoops. Just remembered that Danny hates that... LOL

***Delete****. Delete. Delete***

**Take 2:**

***Grins evilly* ****Ha, ha! I bet you thought I'd spill the beans in this chapter, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU? So sorry to disappoint. But by the time I got around to writing that bit, I realized I'd blabbed on for about 8,000 words already *HOLY CRAP!* and I figured that this was as good a place as any to call it quits for this update. Plus, it means that I get to hear a few more theories from you guys… which makes me oh so happy!**

**How about I make you a deal? I promise to reveal all in the next chapter, as long as you don't pummel me to death for leaving you on yet another cliffy. Okay? Okay. :)**


	30. Revenge is a Dish Best Served Hot?

**A/N: ****Hello again! Don't worry, it's only me. LOL. Can I just say this? Um... Chapter 30? Holy crap people! I look back at this story, and it kind of makes me laugh that I only ever intended for it to be a few chapters long... and now we're at 30? Thank you all for sticking with me on this one. I hope you've enjoyed the ride as much as I have!**

**A huge thank you to everyone who left me a review! It makes me happy to see the love that you all have for Susie. Thank you so much for your support! And wowzer. It seems like you guys are really itching to find out what Flack has planned for Danny and Lindsay! Well, fear not, faithful readers. All is revealed in this chapter! I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

Flack grinned as he pocketed his phone. Danny sounded pissed. _Excellent_. He smirked to himself as he pictured Danny's reaction to the scene he'd come home to. First there would have been confusion. Then realization. Then flabbergasted outrage at the sheer gall of Flack's revenge.

It hadn't been easy, and Flack had been forced to work fast and think on the fly. He had overheard Danny mentioning to Mac that Lindsay was going out with her friend from Montana at around four, and Flack knew Danny's shift was over at six. He'd be home by seven at the latest, so that left him only a few short hours to get everything organized, and he'd had to call in a lot of favours to get things done on time. Fortunately for him, Danny had pulled a lot of pranks on guys from the precinct over the years… guys who were only too happy to finally have the chance to return the favour.

The only real stumbling block had been Lindsay. Although the guys he'd roped into helping him were chomping at the bit to have a go at Danny, all of them liked Lindsay. And they were all terrified of her wrath if she ever learned that they'd played a part in Flack's little stunt. Thinking fast, he'd made up a teeny, tiny white lie – telling his co-conspirators that Lindsay was in on the whole thing and that she'd given Flack her blessing.

That had been all they'd needed to hear, and within minutes they had all eagerly piled into the pickup truck Flack had borrowed from his cousin for the occasion. He'd gotten everything ready to go back at his place and it was a simple matter of loading it all into the truck, getting it to the Messer's apartment, and unloading it as quickly as possible. They'd worked hard and fast, and when the last item was in place they sat back and admired their handiwork.

"Shit!" he exclaimed, glancing at his watch and noticing the time. "Guys, we gotta go." He grabbed his jacket, sweeping his eyes around the apartment to ensure that he hadn't forgotten anything.

"Where's the fire, Flack?" a big burly guy named Stevens asked as Flack bustled them all out into the hallway, locking the door behind them.

"It's quarter to seven," Flack explained. "Messer got off shift at six. He'll be home in…"

As the words left his mouth, he heard the ding of the elevator chiming at the end of the hall. He looked up in time to see the doors slide open, revealing Danny fumbling to maneuver Lucy's stroller with one hand, a pizza box balanced precariously in the other.

"Fuck!" Flack hissed. "Jesus, guys. Fucking move!" He shoved the group down to the opposite end of the hall and into the stairwell, relieved to find that Danny's attention was completely focused on Lucy and his pizza, and that he had so far failed to notice the herd of scampering police officers as they darted down the hall, peeking at him through a crack in the door. He watched as Danny turned his key in the lock and entered the apartment, the sound of the door being kicked forcefully shut behind him reverberating down the hall. Flack turned to his fellow pranksters, placing his finger to his lips as he slid out into the hallway, creeping down the hall so that he was just outside of the Messer's door. A wide, satisfied grin split his face as he heard Danny release a loud groan from within. He turned to the guys still peering out from the stairwell, giving them a thumbs up when he felt his phone vibrating in his pocket.

"Shit," he muttered, trying to get to the phone before his ringtone began to chime, giving away his location. "Flack," he answered as he slipped back down the hall toward the stairs. "It's Messer!" Flack mouthed, putting his hand over the mouthpiece.

"You have got to be fucking kidding me. What the hell is wrong with you?"

"Ah… so you got my surprise," he laughed, loving the exasperated tone in Danny's voice. "Payback's a bitch, ain't it?" He let out an evil cackle before flipping his phone shut, raising his arms in triumph before sharing a round of congratulatory high-fives with his cohorts. "Alright, boys," he chuckled as he headed down the stairs, bounding two steps at a time. "Beers are on me tonight!"

* * *

"To us girls!" Susie said, lifting her wine glass in a toast. Lindsay smiled as she clinked her glass against Susie's.

"I'll drink to that!" she said before taking a sip of her wine. "What?" she asked as Susie gave her a sly grin.

"Oh, nothing," Susie replied. "I'm just wondering... does it always take you 20 minutes to take Danny his coffee?"

Lindsay coughed, sputtering on the wine she had just swallowed as Susie giggled at her guilty reaction. "I knew it!" Susie chuckled. "You totally did it, didn't you?" she asked.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lindsay replied primly as she dabbed at her mouth with her napkin.

"Uh huh. Sure you don't," Susie said, rolling her eyes at Lindsay's obvious untruth. "What, his coffee not sweet enough? You have to give him a little sugar to go with it?"

Lindsay felt her cheeks flushing with colour. "It wasn't like that," Lindsay defended herself. "It was… I just… I was just going to leave it for him… but then I heard him still in the shower, so…" she grinned at Susie across the table, "… I stole his towel."

"And?" Susie prompted her. "Come on, Linds. You can tell me. I'll take your secret with me to the grave, cross my heart and hope to die."

"And… I made him work to get it back."

"Did you now?" Susie winked at her. "Atta girl!"

Lindsay sipped at her wine, giggling as Susie wiggled her eyebrows at her. "I actually feel kind of bad," she admitted, letting out a sigh. "That's twice now in the past two weeks that I've just… I've practically attacked him at work. And I know we shouldn't… and we never actually do," she shook her head, "But… you know, I felt like a real tease today, starting something that I knew we couldn't finish. I kind of left him in the lurch… again."

"He'll live," Susie said, waiving off Lindsay's concerns. "He's a big boy. I'm sure he can handle himself."

Lindsay looked up, catching Susie's eye and the two of them burst out laughing at her unintentional double entendre.

"I know… I know…" Lindsay gasped, wiping the tears of laughter from her eyes. "But, he shouldn't have to."

"Linds, it's all part of a healthy marriage," Susie reassured her. "I was head-over-heals in love with Dave… or at least I thought I was. But even at our best, long before our break up, I don't think I ever remember being as enamoured with him as you two are with one another." She took a long thoughtful sip of her wine. "You are so lucky," she said, "You both are. You've found that one person that just really… gets you, you know? Hold onto that, Lindsay. Enjoy it. And enjoy the fact that you have one of the hottest men in the tri-state area at your beck and call."

"Well… if you insist. I guess I can try," Lindsay said, letting out a sigh of mock resignation. She set her glass down on the table, reaching across and taking Susie's hand in hers. "I'm so glad you're here, Susie. I really missed you."

"I missed you too, Linds," Susie said, giving Lindsay's hand a little squeeze. "I wish I didn't have to go back home. I mean, don't get me wrong, I love my life in Denver," she sighed, "My boys, my home, my work… but I don't have any real girlfriends there. All my friends were _our_ friends, you know? And when Dave and I split up… it was really awkward. I guess people felt like they had to pick sides… so instead, we both kind of got dumped."

"Oh, Susie!" Lindsay exclaimed, "That's terrible!"

"Tell me about it," Susie said. "Thank God for my mother. She was a real life saver."

"Well, let's make a deal. We'll try to get together at least a few times a year, okay?" Lindsay proposed. "Either you come here, or I'll come to Denver… or we can meet somewhere else. Just… I don't want to go another 15 years, okay?"

"I would love that, Linds," Susie said.

"Here's to us girls," Lindsay said, raising her glass in another toast.

"Amen, sister," Susie replied, raising her own glass.

* * *

Lindsay hummed the tune to _Luck Be a Lady_ as she rode the elevator up to her apartment, her foot tapping out the rhythm on the floor as she ascended. Dinner had been great, the show had been fantastic, and Lindsay was positively glowing from her night out. As she stepped out onto their floor, she began to make her way down the hall, digging around in her handbag for her keys.

"Gotcha!" she muttered to herself, grabbing her key ring from the depths of her bag. But her fingers were clumsy and she dropped them on the floor outside her door. Bending down to pick them up, she frowned at something that was on the floor in the hall. Something that definitely didn't belong on the 5th floor of an apartment in mid-Manhattan.

She picked it up, examining it carefully. It was a strand of hay, like the kind she used to have to help her dad pack into bales back on the farm. She shook her head. What in the world was a lone piece of hay doing in the hall outside her apartment? She tossed the hay down onto the floor, deciding that at this particular moment, there were far more important things to think about… like showing Danny how sorry she was for leaving him so unsatisfied after their little encounter earlier that day in the shower.

She put the key in the lock and pushed open the door, stepping inside and tossing her keys into the bowl on the table in the foyer. "Baby? I'm home!" she called out softly, not wanting to wake Lucy. She kicked off her shoes, curling her toes into the plush carpet as she shrugged off her jacket and hung it in the hall closet. She turned to face their living room and her jaw dropped.

"What..." Her words died on her lips as she gazed in shock at her surroundings. Her living room… it was gone. Well, not really gone, per say. But it was definitely different. Posters of old western movies were taped up all over the walls, an enormous – nearly life-sized, really – stuffed horse stood in the corner, her couches were covered in old riding blankets, a riding crop dangled from the overhead light in the dining room, there was a wagon wheel propped up against the far wall, a saddle hung over the back of the armchair, and saloon doors hung in the doorway leading to the kitchen. She took a cautious step forward, not quite daring to believe that she was in the right home. Something crackled under her foot, and she looked down to see stray pieces of straw all over the floor. Following the trail, she saw that her coffee table had been replaced by bales of hay.

And littering every available surface were hats. Cowboy hats of all shapes, sizes and colours; there must have been at least fifty of them all together. There were miniature hats, plastic hats, leather hats, hats made of straw, hats made of felt, and a ridiculously large ten-gallon hat was perched on the table by the window. And sitting in a place of honour on the mantle above the fireplace was her father's old, beaten and worn cowboy hat with a little sign above it that read:

_All Hail the Baby Maker_

"Oh my God!" she breathed. "Oh… my God!"

"That was pretty much my reaction when I saw all this crap." Danny's voice from the hall leading to the bedrooms made her jump. "Except I think I used a lot more swear words."

"What… what happened?" she asked, blinking rapidly in the hope that she would open her eyes and it would all be gone; her living room would look exactly as it had when she'd left it earlier that afternoon.

"Flack happened," Danny said, pushing himself off the wall he had been leaning against and making his way over to her. "Fucker must have done it this afternoon after you left and before I got home. I told you he wasn't done."

"Oh my God," Lindsay said again. "This is just… wow. He does take his revenge seriously, doesn't he?"

"Looks that way," Danny said, giving her a small smile. "I was going to try to clean it up before you got home but…" he nodded his head down the hallway to Lucy's bedroom, "… she only just went to sleep. She got a little over-excited by everything, especially that stupid fucking horse," he pointed at the huge stuffed animal, "And after that it was just one tantrum after another until she finally wore herself out about twenty minutes ago."

"Oh, God… Danny!" Lindsay said, pulling her frustrated and exhausted husband into her arms. "Poor baby," she soothed as he rested his forehead on her shoulder and let out a sigh. "You've had such a shitty day, honey; first the dumpster, and now this? I'm so sorry. You should have called me."

"I couldn't do that," he mumbled into her shoulder as he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. "You were out with Susie and you never get to see her." He pulled back placing a kiss to her forehead. "I didn't want to ruin your evening and make you come home to a screaming toddler and a grumpy husband… and a house that smells like a fucking barn."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," she said, smiling up at him as she wound her arms around his neck.

"You're right… it was worse," he said wryly. He lowered his head, once again resting his forehead on her shoulder. "I counted them, you know."

"Counted what, baby?" Lindsay said, rubbing his back gently, wanting to soothe away the tension she could feel in his body.

"All this crap Flack left… there's exactly 63 things."

"63… isn't that…"

"The number of things on that list we made for him? Yeah," Danny said, nodding his head against her shoulder. "It is."

"Well, he's a man of his word," Lindsay giggled. "He did promise vengeance for every last thing we made him do."

"Fucker."

"Danny!" she chided him, "We knew this was coming, baby. Come on. Have a sense of humour!"

"I do have a sense of humour," he grumbled. "It's one of the many things you love about me, remember?" She couldn't see his face, but she could tell by his tone that he was smiling. "It's just… it's been a long day, baby. And I'm so tired. And I just wanted to spend some time with Lucy, put her to bed and relax until you came home. Then I wanted to go to bed and sleep until next year."

"I know, honey," Lindsay said, pressing a soft kiss to his shoulder. "But I'm here now. Just let me get changed, and I'll come out, we can put some of this stuff away and then I can help you relax a little, okay?"

"Okay." Danny gave her a quick squeeze before releasing her from his arms. She patted him on the backside as she moved past him into their bedroom. She unbuttoned her shirt, peeling it off and tossing it into the laundry hamper in the corner before she slid out of her pants. She was about to unhook her bra when an idea popped into her head. Quietly, she moved to the closet, digging around until she found what she was looking for – her old cowboy boots. Slipping them onto her feet, she peeked out into the living room. Danny was no where to be seen, but she heard the sound of the refrigerator door closing.

She tiptoed out of the bedroom, grabbing one of the hats from the collection strewn about the living room and placing it on her head. Taking a deep breath, she pushed through the saloon doors into the kitchen to find Danny sitting on the counter, a bottle of water in one hand as he rubbed the back of his neck with the other, his head lowered and his eyes closed as he tried to ease some of the tension that had built up over the course of the day.

Hearing her enter the kitchen, he let out a sigh. "Baby, I'm sorry. I just realized that I didn't even ask how your night out with Susie went," he mumbled. "Did you have a good…" The rest of his sentence died on his lips as he raised his head and took in her appearance.

"Hey, cowboy," she purred, tipping her hat to him.

"Whoa…" he breathed, his mouth gaping open. "You're… you're… whoa."

"You know, I was thinking," she said, sauntering towards him, swaying her hips seductively, "Do you know what our place reminds me of right now?"

She smiled coyly at him as he shook his head mutely.

"My dad's barn." She walked up to him, resting her hands on his knees. "Do you remember what we did in my dad's barn, Danny?"

His mouth hanging open, slack jawed, Danny could only manage to nod his head as his eyes drank in her scantily clad figure.

"Do you know what I think would really piss Flack off?" she asked. "He would be so choked if he knew how much all this cowboy stuff really turns me on." She stepped closer, positioning herself between his legs as she ran her hands up his thighs, letting them rest on his hips as she leaned forward and began to pepper his jaw with kisses. "Do you have any idea how much I want you right now, Danny? And all this," she gestured to the western paraphernalia surrounding them, "It's like all my cowboy fantasies from when I was growing up come true."

"Linds…" Danny panted as she skimmed her hands up under his wife beater, her fingers gently massaging his bare skin as she buried her face in his neck.

"Danny, I want to make you feel good, baby. Just let me do that, okay?" she pleaded, her mouth working the sensitive spot just above his collar bone. "And if we manage to get one over on Flack in the process… even better."

Lindsay let out a little squeal when Danny responded by wrapping his arms around her, hoisting her up off her feet as he leaned backward, laying himself down flat on his back on the island counter separating the kitchen from the dining room, his legs dangling over the edge. Lindsay positioned herself so that she was straddling his waist, her mouth instantly fused to his as he ran his hands up and down her bare back.

"Danny," Lindsay breathed as she broke their kiss, her lips trailing down from his face to his neck.

"Mmm?"

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I said I wanted to help you feel good, baby. You can't be comfortable."

"Who cares?" Danny chuckled, his eyes closed as he let himself get lost in the sensation of his wife's lips on his body.

"Baby, come to the bedroom with me."

"I can't," Danny said.

Lindsay pulled back, her eyebrows raised. "And why not?" she asked.

"There's a beautiful, half-naked woman on top of me," Danny replied, smiling as he gently caressed her shoulders, his fingers toying with the straps of her bra.

She grinned at him, leaning down to kiss him before she sat up and moved off of him, hopping down from the counter. He let out a groan as he slowly lifted himself up into a sitting position, his cheeks flushed from their make-out session.

"Come on, cowboy," she said, extending her hand to help him down. He hopped down from the counter, taking her hand in his and letting her lead him into the bedroom. She pushed him into the room ahead of her and he turned to give her an inquiring look.

"Take off your clothes and get on the bed," she said, turning to head back into the living room. "I'll be right back."

She smiled to herself at the look of sheer desire on Danny's face as he quickly began to strip. She walked over to the large stuffed horse that Flack had left, unfastening the reigns from the bridle and heading back into the bedroom. Her eyes lit up as she saw Danny, completely naked, lying on the bed as requested. She crossed the room, kicking off her cowboy boots before crawling up the bed to once again straddle his waist.

"Do you have any idea how fucking sexy you are, Montana?" he asked as she settled herself on top of him. She smiled as she slowly drew the reigns down his chest, lightly skimming his pecs with the rough leather. "I never had a cowgirl fantasy," he continued, his breath hitching in his throat as she teased his nipple with the reigns, "But I have a feeling that's about to change."

"Baby, do you trust me?" Lindsay asked as she trailed the leather straps up to his shoulders and down his arm.

"You know I do, Linds."

"Danny, I want to do something… but I want you to say no if you don't want to, okay?"

"What is it, babe?" he asked.

She bit her lip, the reigns trailing further down his arm until she came to his hand. She gently looped the leather around his wrist and then looked up at him. "I wanna tie you up, baby. I want to have you all to myself and I wanna make you feel so good, Danny. Can I do that for you?" she asked. "Will you let me do that, cowboy?"

"What brought this on, honey?" he asked. "What's with this sudden concern? You know you always make me feel good."

"Today in the shower…" she started, "When I saw you… baby, just seeing you like that… God! You make my body go crazy and I can't think straight." She pressed a kiss to his forehead, frowning slightly as she pulled away. "But you sounded kind of surprised that I would want you so badly. Danny, you have to know that I think that you are the sexiest man that I have ever known. And nothing is ever going to change the fact that I find you absolutely irresistible. I want to make sure that after tonight… there will be no doubt in your mind, baby."

"Linds," he said, reaching up and gently caressing her cheek, "You don't have to prove anything to me. It's just been one of those days, I guess. You caught me at a time when I wasn't feeling so… attractive."

"Please, Danny?" she asked. "_Please_?"

He stared up at her for a moment, his eyes searching hers. Without a word he simply nodded his head, raising his arms, his hands wrapping around the wooden rungs of the headboard. She smiled reassuringly at him, then leaned forward, looping the leather around the rungs then over to his other hand, capturing his other wrist and expertly knotting the straps.

"You let me know the second you don't feel comfortable, and I'll untie you, okay?"

Again, he mutely nodded his head, his eyes flashing with desire and anticipation. She captured his lips in a passionate kiss, her tongue darting out to meet his as he opened his mouth for her. He let out a long, low moan as she pulled his lower lip between her teeth, worrying the sensitive skin before releasing him and moving on to lavish her kisses elsewhere. She used the opportunity to explore his body, taking her time to savour every inch of his arms, his shoulders, his torso. When she came to his hips, she had to fight the urge to simply ravish his cock right then and there. First she wanted to set his body on fire with her kisses and her touches before she would give him his satisfaction. She wanted him to come harder than she had ever made him come before. So she simply gave him a coy little smile as she bypassed his erection, instead moving down to gently nip and suck on the sensitive skin of his inner thigh.

"Jesus, Linds!" he panted, realizing that she had no intention of relieving the burning desire that had built up inside of him. "Baby… oh, God…"

She worked her way down his legs to his feet, forcing herself to ignore his increasingly urgent pleas for some kind of release. She sat up and looked at him, his whole body glistening with her kisses as he writhed on the bed, his prominent erection begging for her attention. She slowly crawled back up his body, once again settling herself down on his stomach.

"Linds… please…" he begged, "Please, baby… I need you…"

"You need me to what, Danny?" she asked, her fingers toying with the elastic waistband of her panties. Any response he was going to give her faltered on his lips as he watched with wide eyes as she slid her fingers beneath the lacy black fabric covering her curls.

"Is this what you want to do, baby?" she asked. "You want to touch me?"

"Fuck yes!" he said, his eyes glazed over as he watched her fingers moving inside of her panties.

"Oh, God Danny," she panted as she rubbed her clit, "You make me so hot, baby. I'm so wet for you, honey."

"Montana, please… you gotta lose the panties, babe," Danny pleaded through gritted teeth.

"Oh yeah?" she asked. "You wanna see what I'm doing?"

"Yes."

"Too bad," she said, pulling her hand out from her underwear. She gave him a little wink and he moaned as she slid backwards, the crotch of her panties brushing against his erection as she moved to straddle his legs. Her fingers lingered on his hips as she watched him squirm beneath her. "Are you ready for me, baby?" she asked.

"So fucking ready, Linds," Danny panted. "Please, honey… just fuck me already."

She grinned down at him, revelling in the shallow rise and fall of his chest as he watched her hands slide in from his hips and take a firm grasp around the base of his cock. She leaned down and ran her tongue across the tip of his penis, lapping up the pre-cum that had gathered there. He moaned loudly as her mouth closed around the head of his cock and she began to slide her lips down his shaft, taking him into her mouth as deep as she could before she slowly began to pull back, gently grazing her teeth along the sensitive skin. The noises he was making were causing her body to tingle, her insides aching for him to fill her. But this was about him, and she wanted to take him to the edge over and over again tonight, to worship his body the way he always did for her.

As she continued her torturously slow oral exploration of his cock, she let one hand sink down between his legs as she cupped his balls in her hand, gently squeezing them with her fingers. His body was practically vibrating beneath her as he struggled to stay in control. She looked up at him, his hands clenched tightly around the wooden rungs of the headboard, his knuckles white with tension.

"Baby, are you okay?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he grunted, "Just… don't wanna come too soon."

She smiled up at him. "Baby, whenever you come it will be just the right time, okay? Don't hold back, honey. Just enjoy the ride."

"It just… oh, God… it just feels so good, Linds," he breathed, giving her a tense smile, "I just… fuck… I don't want it to be over yet."

She leaned forward, sucking lightly on the juncture of his hip and thigh before she let her lips trail back to his cock. Taking him in her mouth again, she quickened her pace, one hand massaging the base of his cock while the other slipped further between his legs and she began to stimulate the ultra-sensitive patch of skin just behind his balls.

He let out a groan, panting her name over and over until she felt his body go rigid and she tasted his release in her mouth. She continued to work his cock with her lips and tongue as she watched his body relax, his eyes closing and a small smile on his face as he came down from his orgasm. When she was sure he was spent, she began to inch her way back up his body, peppering his stomach, chest and neck with feather-light kisses until she reached his face. She gazed down at him, skimming her fingers over his relaxed features which had only a few moments ago been so tense from the stress of his day.

"Hey," she said as she pressed a kiss to the corner of his lips.

"Hey, baby," he murmured, cracking open his eyes and giving her a wide smile.

"Feel better?" she asked.

"Untie me and I'll show you how good I feel."

Lindsay giggled as she nuzzled into his neck, inhaling his scent. "You know, I don't think I will," she said, smiling as she toyed with his dog tags. "I kind of like you like this… Maybe I'll just leave you here all the time and I can just come in and have my way with you when I feel like a little somethin' somethin'."

"Yeah right," Danny said, letting out a contented sigh. "You'd miss all the things these hands can do to you, baby. But I have to admit… it's fucking hot when you take charge like that. I love it."

"Really?" she asked, pulling back so she could see his face.

"Hell yeah!" he said. "I mean… I'm not usually one who likes being told what to do… but fuck, Linds… that was amazing."

She grinned at him before she reached up and undid the knot that bound his hands. He quickly used his newfound freedom to wrap his arms around her, pulling her close and gently stroking her hair as she nestled down onto his chest.

"Can I ask you something, Linds?"

"What?"

"Where did… where did you learn to do that thing… that you did tonight?"

She shifted, propping herself up and resting her chin on his chest as she looked at him in confusion. "What thing?"

"You know!" he said, and she smiled as she watched him blush. "That thing… you've never done that before."

"Oh, you mean this thing?" she asked, grinning as she slid her hand back down his body her fingers once again finding the sensitive and long-ignored patch of skin behind his balls.

"Oh, God… yup… that's the thing…" he moaned. "That… where'd you learn to do that?"

"Cosmo," she replied, giggling at the disbelief written all over his face.

"Cosmo?"

"Mmm hmm," she said nodding her head.

"Fuck," he breathed, smiling at her as she continued to gently massage him. "Remind me to go out tomorrow and get you a lifetime subscription, okay?"

"You know what else Cosmo says?" she asked, a twinkle in her eye as she felt Danny's cock begin to twitch back to life after his intense orgasm.

"No… but I really, really hope you'll tell me," he breathed.

"It says you should make love to your wife, Danny."

He smiled at her and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her lips as he removed the hat from her head, tossing it across the room before he tangled his fingers in her hair. "I don't need Cosmo to tell me that, Linds," he said as he rolled them over so that he was on top of her. She giggled as he nuzzled into her neck, his stubble tickling her skin as his hands sought out the clasp on her bra.

"Mmm," she sighed as he pulled her bra from her body, "Smart man."

He pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose before helping her to shimmy out of her panties. Wrapping her legs around his hips, she pulled his body flush with hers and let out a little gasp of pleasure as he slowly entered her, his eyes never leaving hers, his hands gently caressing her body as they moved together as one in a slow, loving rhythm.

"I love you, Danny," she whispered as she felt the first twinges of her climax building inside of her. She buried her face in his shoulder, his skin muffling her cries as she came, Danny following close behind.

"I love you too, Lindsay," he said, rolling onto his side and curling his body around hers. He leaned down and pulled the blankets up over them before reaching over and switching off the bedside lamp. He settled himself back on his pillows as Lindsay cuddled into his side. He listened to her light breathing and smiled as she let out a contented sigh in her sleep, her arms instinctively tightening around him. It wasn't long before Danny began to drift off, and soon he too was fast asleep, the stresses of his day long forgotten.

**

* * *

**

So? What did we think? I really hope that Flack's revenge didn't disappoint. And that you were all at least a little satisfied about finally getting a bit of D/L smut in this story again after all my teasing! What's next? Well… if you think Danny and Lindsay are just going to let Flack get away with what he did to their apartment, you obviously don't know me very well! :D

**Thanks for reading, and please feel free to leave a review!**


	31. Peace of Mind

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm so happy to see from your reviews that you were all entertained by Flack's revenge. They guy is nothing if not creative! LOL. And of course, we can't forget the smut. Glad you approve. I thought it was high time for a little D/L loving in this story once again! :D**

**So, what's up next? Well, I can't very well blurt it out right here in an Author's Note, can I? *thinks* Well, I guess I could… but that wouldn't be very fair! So I'll stop talking, and you start reading. Deal? Deal.**

* * *

"Daaaadaaaaa! Haaaawseeeee!"

Danny buried his head under his pillow, letting out a groan, hoping that his daughter would just go back to sleep. He'd already been up with her once already, and he really didn't want to have to get up again.

"Daaaadaaaaa! Haaaawseeeee!"

"Fuck," he muttered to himself, gently untangling himself from Lindsay's arms as he sat up. He threw his legs over the side of the bed, scrubbing his face tiredly as he stood. He fumbled in the dark for the sweatpants he'd gotten out the last time he'd gotten up and pulled them on before making his way down the hall to Lucy's room. He pushed open the door, flicking the light switch and squinting his eyes as the room was flooded with a warm, golden glow. His daughter was standing up in her crib, bouncing happily as she held on to the railing, a wide smile on her face.

"Dada!" she giggled, raising her arms and wiggling her fingers in the air, begging to be picked up.

"Lucy, it's four in the morning, sweetheart," Danny mumbled as leaned forward, resting his arms on the railing and letting out a tired yawn.

"Dada, hawsee p'ease?" Lucy asked sweetly. "Hawsee p'ay Yoo-see!"

"No, Lucy," Danny said, shaking his head, "It's not time to play with the horsey, okay? It's night time. Go back to sleep, Luce."

"No s'eep, Dada," Lucy protested, "No s'eep. Hawsee."

"Sorry, sweetie," he said. "The horsey can't play right now because he's sleeping. So you should go to sleep too, and you can play with him in the morning."

"No hawsee?" she asked, her lower lip beginning to tremble. "No p'ay Yoo-see?"

"Luce, come on…" Danny pleaded, "Daddy is so tired. Just be a good girl and go back to sleep, okay?"

He let out a sigh of resignation as Lucy opened her mouth and let out a loud screech of protest as she threw herself onto her back onto the mattress, her arms and legs flailing, her little face beet red and her hands clenched into tight fists as she screamed. "Hawsee! Hawsee!"

"Lucy Messer, that's enough!"

Lucy's wails stopped in mid-sob at the warning tone in her father's voice. She looked up at him through tear-filled eyes, whimpering softly to herself.

"Knock it off, kiddo," Danny said sternly, "Or Daddy is going to take away your toys and you'll have to spend the rest of the night all by yourself. I've had enough tantrums tonight. Do you understand me?"

"Tee-Bah?" Lucy sniffled, a large crocodile tear slipping down her cheek.

"That's right, Luce," Danny said. "You keep this up, and I'm going to take Tee-Bah away. Is that what you want?"

"N-n-no D-D-Dada…" Lucy hiccupped as she cried, "…Y-Y-Yoo-see Tee-Bah."

"I know he's your bear, sweetheart," Danny said softly, reaching down and gently rubbing her belly to try to calm her down. "I know… But you have to be a good girl, or else Tee-Bah has to go away for the rest of the night. Can you do that? Can you be a good girl for Daddy?"

"Y-y-yup," Lucy whimpered.

"That's my girl," Danny said. He smoothed out her curls, gently wiping her tears from her cheeks as he whispered soothing words to her. He smiled tiredly as her eyes began to droop and she reached out for her bear, pulling him into her arms and stroking his fur as she cried herself back to sleep.

Danny watched her for a few more minutes, amazed once again at how quickly she could go from his sweet little princess to a raging, tantrum-throwing monster and back again in a matter of minutes. He shook his head, tiptoeing from the room after switching off the light. He closed the door quietly behind him and made his way back down the hall to his bedroom.

Trying to be careful so as not to wake Lindsay, he slowly lowered himself onto the bed and pulled up the covers. He sighed as he felt movement on the other side of the bed and before long a small, warm hand reached out and gently stroked his cheek.

"Everything okay, baby?"

"S'fine, Linds. Go back to sleep." He rolled onto his side, burrowing further under the blankets, his back facing Lindsay as he willed himself to fall asleep.

"Danny?"

"Just more of the same from earlier tonight," he sighed. "She's fine now. She's sleeping."

"And what about you, honey?"

"I'm gonna fucking murder Flack," he muttered. "Actually, first I'm gonna make him clean up every last goddamn thing he brought here… and _then_ I'm gonna murder him. You can help me hide his body." He heard Lindsay chuckle as she inched up behind him, wrapping her arms around him as she placed delicate kisses to the back of his neck.

"Come on, baby… after all the fun we had?" she whispered, resting her chin on his shoulder and peering down at him. "You don't really mean that.

"Well…" he mumbled, "You can keep your hat… and that leather thing. But everything else has to go."

"Pervert," Lindsay giggled as he rolled over on his back and pulled her on top of him, holding her tightly in his arms and grinning up at her.

"Oh, I'm the pervert?" he asked, raising his eyebrows at her. "_I'm_ the pervert?"

"You keep saying it like it's not true, baby," she chided him, rubbing her nose against his affectionately. "We all know that I'm just an innocent little country girl, and you're the big, bad city boy who's hell-bent on corrupting me."

He stared back at her for a moment before shaking his head and rolling his eyes at her.

"That is such a load of crap," he said. He leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to her lips before he rolled over onto his side and Lindsay maneuvered herself so that he was spooned up behind her. "Why do you have to be so awesome?" he asked as he nuzzled his face into the soft skin of her shoulder. "Why couldn't you just let me be grumpy?"

"I told you before, Danny," she whispered, taking his hand in hers and interlacing their fingers, pulling his arm around her in a comforting embrace. "You're sexy when you're grumpy. I just can't help myself."

"Actually, I believe the word you used was adorable," Danny pointed out, smiling as Lindsay chuckled.

"Same shit, different pile," she replied, shrugging her shoulders.

"Wow, Linds. I think that's the most romantic thing you've ever said to me!" Danny teased. "God, I'm falling in love with you all over again. Tell me more."

"Shut up," she giggled. "You know what I meant."

"Yeah, I do," he said as he smiled into her shoulder. He closed his eyes, letting his tired body relax as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Flack was up early. His shift started in just over an hour, but he was feeling antsy. He couldn't wait until he got to work to find out just how well his little plan had gone over. So he got up, showered and dressed and headed out to his corner coffee shop to grab a peace offering, of sorts. He ordered three coffees, an assortment of muffins and an apple juice for Lucy before making his way the few short blocks to the Messer's apartment building. He let himself into the main lobby and got into the elevator, a wide grin on his face as he remembered Danny's outrage the previous evening. He could only hope that Lindsay's reaction had been just as glorious.

Stepping out onto the fifth floor, he walked down the hall and knocked on the apartment door. He heard the sound of padding footsteps before the lock was turned, the security chain withdrawn from its slot and the door cracked open to reveal Lindsay, also dressed and ready for work. She rolled her eyes at him as he held up the coffee and pastries, pulling the door open and waving him in.

"You've got a lot of nerve showing up here, buster," Lindsay said, closing and locking the door behind him. "I figured after this…" she gestured to her western-themed living room, "…you'd be running off to register yourself in the witness protection program."

Flack grinned at her as he set his wares down on the counter. "Can't say the thought didn't cross my mind," he said as he handed her a cup of coffee. "But I figured that the two of you are good sports… I thought I'd take my chances. Besides," he smirked as he took a sip of his own coffee, "I hate moving."

"Well, all I can say is well played, Flack. Well played," Lindsay said. "We know when we've been beaten. We never should have taken you on… you're the master and we humbly grovel at your feet."

Flack laughed, nodding his head. "Well, as long as we agree on that…" he held out his hand to her, "Truce?"

She narrowed her eyes at him for a moment before peeking into the brown paper bag he'd brought with him.

"Is that a blueberry muffin I see?" she asked.

"It most definitely is."

"Then truce it is," she said, smiling at him as they shook hands. She grabbed the blueberry muffin from the bag and took it over to the dining room table along with her coffee. Flack followed her, pulling out a chair and sitting himself down, digging around in the bag for a muffin of his own.

"So, where's Danno this morning?" he asked. "Getting his beauty sleep?"

"Actually, he was up half the night with Lucy," Lindsay explained, breaking off a piece of her muffin and popping it in her mouth. "Yeah. She got a little… over-stimulated by everything last night." She gave Flack a meaningful look as she took a small sip of her coffee. "When I got home close to midnight she'd only just fallen asleep, and she was up a few times in the night wanting to play with that horse," she indicated the large stuffed animal in the dining room. "And Danny got up with her because he knew I had to work this morning."

"Jeez, Linds. I'm sorry," Flack said honestly. "I… shit. I didn't even think about Lucy…"

Lindsay held up her hand, stopping Flack in mid-sentence.

"Don't worry about it," she reassured him. "She's fine. Danny on the other hand was ready to chop you up into little pieces and dump you in the Hudson."

Flack laughed nervously. "Well, luckily he has you to talk him out of such rash decisions… right?"

Lindsay smiled at him, setting down her coffee cup down and leaning forward, resting her elbows on the table.

"We'll see," she said. "Now, here's what's going to happen. First, you and I are going to go to work. Then, Danny is going to take Lucy out to Staten Island to visit his grandmother. And you," she said, prodding Flack's chest with her index finger, "Are going to round up all your little buddies that helped you drag this crap up here… and you're going to drag it right back out. Got it?"

Flack stared at Lindsay in shock.

"How did…"

"How did I know you had help?" Lindsay asked, smiling smugly at Flack. "Thanks for the vote of confidence, Don. I am a detective, you know. You don't think that the very first thing I did this morning was check the security footage from our lobby? Imagine my surprise when I saw you and three other guys from down at the precinct hauling what appears to be the entire set from _Oklahoma!_ up to my apartment, giggling like a bunch of school girls."

Flack's mouth moved, but no words were coming out. _Security cameras? _Shit. He hadn't thought of that.

"Now, when I get home tonight I want all of this gone. Every last thing. All of it," Lindsay continued. "And if I find a single strand of hay left after you've cleaned up, I will personally round up you and your little helpers and teach you all a brand new meaning for the word pain. Do I make myself clear?"

"Crystal," Flack managed to choke out.

"Good," Lindsay said, smiling sweetly at him as she leaned back in her chair and munched on her muffin. At the sound of a door creaking open, they both turned to see Danny stumble out into the living room, clad only in a pair of low-slung sweatpants. A wide smile broke out on Lindsay's face and she got up from the table and went over to her adorably groggy husband. He rubbed his eyes with his fists, yawning as she wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him into her arms.

"Hey, baby. What're you doing up?" she asked as she gently rubbed his back.

"Mmph," he grunted, resting his forehead against hers. "Couldn't sleep. You going to work?"

"Yeah. In a few minutes," she said.

Danny sighed, his eyes drooping closed. "Don't go," he mumbled as he toyed with the top button of her blouse. "Come back to bed and keep me company."

"Baby, you know I can't. I have to…"

The rest of her sentence was cut off as Danny gently took her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers in a tender kiss. Temporarily forgetting that they had company, Lindsay found herself getting lost in the kiss, leaning into him and letting out a soft sigh as his lips gently moved against her own. She skimmed her fingers up and down his back, feeling his muscles tense and flex at her touch. With a little groan, she broke away, resting her forehead against Danny's shoulder.

"I gotta go, baby," she murmured.

"I know," Danny sighed as he hugged her tightly to him. She smiled up at him, pressing a kiss to his chin. "Ugh. This shit is still here," Danny grumbled as he gazed around the living room. "Fuck. I was hoping that it was just a bad dream."

"That's not what you were saying last night," Lindsay whispered in his ear.

"What can I say?" Danny smirked. "You're very convincing… I think I need you to convince me again though. I feel the urge to kill rising… rising…"

"Nice try," Lindsay giggled, untangling herself from Danny's embrace. "I'm just going to brush my teeth and check on Lucy," she said as she stepped away from him. "Go put a shirt on. There's coffee and muffins in the kitchen."

Confused by her statement, Danny watched his wife disappear into the bathroom. "Why do I need a shirt to eat muffins?" he asked.

"Because as much as I love your body, baby," Lindsay called out from the bathroom, "I'm pretty sure Flack would prefer not to have to see you running around half-naked."

"Flack? He's here?" Danny said.

"Mornin' Dan," Flack said, waving at Danny as he peered into the dining room. "I came bearing a peace offering and to escort your lovely wife to work. And she's right… I would really appreciate it if you'd throw some clothes on. I'm trying to keep my breakfast own over here."

Danny huffed at Flack before he stomped off to the bedroom to retrieve his wife beater from the floor where he had discarded it the night before. Pulling it over his head, he walked into the kitchen. He grabbed a coffee from the counter before he moved into the dining room, rustling around in the brown paper bag for a muffin before sitting down across from Flack and giving him a withering glare.

"You are not my favourite person right now," he growled as he bit into his muffin. "You're an asshole. Do you have any idea what you did to Lucy last night with all this crap?"

"Yeah… Linds told me," Flack said, giving Danny an apologetic smile as he noticed the bags under Danny's eyes and the lines of the tiredness etched into his face. "I'm really sorry man."

"I hope you don't think that muffins and coffee is gonna get you outta the doghouse," Danny muttered as he stuffed the last of his muffin into his mouth.

"Nah. I've been informed that I'm on clean-up duty today," Flack said, shaking his head. He let out a sigh. "You two just don't appreciate good interior décor. I mean, look at this place. It could be on the cover of _Good Housekeeping_. It's a work of art. Shame to dismantle it all…"

"Yeah. A real shame," Danny said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "Where the hell did you get all this shit from?"

Flack shrugged his shoulders. "My uncle is the prop-master for a theatre out in Brooklyn," he said. "He's got all kinds of crazy stuff just lying around in his warehouse. So I asked if I could borrow a few things, and he was totally cool with it."

"Hmph," Danny scoffed. "He know what you were using 'em for?"

"I said he probably didn't want to know," Flack said, grinning at Danny.

"Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies, right?" Danny chuckled.

"Exactly."

"Okay, boys. I hope you're playing nicely," Lindsay said as she emerged into the living room, smiling at the two of them.

"He's still alive, isn't he?" Danny smirked.

"You're such a good boy," Lindsay said, leaning forward and planting a kiss to Danny's forehead. She let out a little shriek as he pulled her down onto his lap, wrapping his arms around her as she wriggled to get free. "Danny! I have to go to work!"

"Yeah, but first you gotta say goodbye to me," Danny said, grinning at her. "Flack, you might wanna take a hike."

Flack let out a disgusted grunt as he stood from the table. "I'll wait for you out in the hall Lindsay," he said. "Don't be long."

"M'kay," Lindsay replied absently, her eyes locked with Danny's as he pulled her closer.

"Fucking horny teenagers," Flack muttered as he let himself out into the hall, leaning back against the wall as he waited.

Inside, Lindsay wrapped her arms around Danny's neck, their lips meeting, tongues dueling as they leaned into one another. Lindsay smirked against Danny's lips when Flack banged on the door.

"Come on, Linds. We're gonna be late!"

"Coming!" she called out before Danny captured her lips once again, running his hand up her thigh until he was gently caressing her backside. "Danny…"

"I know…" Danny whispered as he pressed a soft kiss to her nose. "I know. Go," he said, helping her to stand up and patting her backside as she turned to leave.

"Seriously… Lindsay! Let's get a move on!" Flack's voice was loud even through the door.

"Yeah, Don!" Lindsay replied. "Coming!" She grabbed her bag and her jacket, running back into the dining room and giving Danny one more quick kiss on the lips before she dashed across the living room. "Love you!" she shouted as she slammed the door behind her.

* * *

Flack let himself into the Messer's apartment on his lunch break. They guys from the precinct had all been out on assignments when he'd gone looking for them to ask for help getting everything back to his uncle's, so he'd roped his cousin into lending a hand, offering to take him out for a few beers afterwards to thank him for his help.

The two of them worked fast to gather the items, loading them into the pickup parked outside. Flack checked the items off the list his uncle had given him as they packed them up. He frowned, realizing that he was short one hat. That, and he was sure that the stuffed horse had come with a set of reigns. He'd crawled around on the floor looking for the missing items, puzzled as to how they could have simply disappeared. He sat up on his haunches, scratching his head in confusion. Where could they be?

He walked down the hall toward Lucy's room, wondering if she'd taken the missing hat to her room to play. Pushing open the door he poked his head inside. Not seeing anything even remotely cowboy-themed, he turned and started back down the hall. He paused outside of Danny and Lindsay's bedroom, the door slightly ajar. He chuckled to himself, shaking his head. They wouldn't… would they?

Feeling slightly uncomfortable about invading his friends' most personal space, he peered inside, scanning the room quickly. Everything was fairly neat and tidy, save for the unmade bed.

"Oh, God," he sighed as his eyes fell upon a pair of discarded cowboy boots on the floor at the foot of the bed. The missing hat he'd been searching for hung haphazardly from the floor-lamp in the corner. "Man, I did not need to see that," he muttered to himself. As he was about to leave the room, deciding to sacrifice the wayward hat to it's new and enthusiastic owners, he stopped. He looked up at the bed again.

"Fucking animals!" he groaned as he noticed the leather strap dangling from the headboard. He closed the door behind him, trying to rid himself of the mental pictures that were now swimming through his mind of the many uses his friends could have found for the reigns.

Coming back into the living room, Flack saw his cousin scooping up handfuls of the hay that had scattered all over the floor, tossing it into a black garbage bag he had taken from the kitchen.

"Anything else, Don?" he asked.

"Nothing Uncle Bob is gonna want back," Flack muttered, scrunching his face up in disgust. His cousin raised his eyebrows at him, but went back to gathering the hay. Flack scanned the room once again, ensuring that nothing else had been left behind. He grinned at the sign he had hung above the mantle.

"We all done here?" his cousin asked as he wiped his hands, the last of the hay collected and ready to be thrown out.

"Yeah. I think so, Sam," Flack replied. "I'll meet you down at the truck. There's just one more thing I want to do before we go."

"Sure thing, Don," Sam said, slinging the garbage bag over his shoulder and letting himself out. Flack watched his cousin leave then grabbed the original Baby Maker and the sign down from the mantle, a little grin on his face as he walked back down the hall toward the bedrooms.

* * *

"Too bad you had that Flack guy clean up your place," Susie said as she and Lindsay entered the elevator in the Messer's apartment building. "I think I would have liked to see it all done up like that. A little piece of Montana out here in the big city."

"Believe me," Lindsay chuckled as she pressed the button for the fifth floor, "It was nothing like Montana."

Susie smiled at her as the elevator ascended. As the doors slid open on their floor, the two women stepped out, bags of Chinese take-out food in their arms. Lindsay was pleased to see that the hay was gone from the hallway at least. She could only hope that there wasn't too much left to clean up inside the apartment.

Turning the key in the lock, she pushed open the door and flicked on the lights, letting out a sigh of relief as she saw her home had been restored to its original state. All her furniture was back in its rightful place, all vestiges of the Wild West thankfully removed. She hung her coat up in the closet, toeing off her shoes before she moved into the kitchen, setting down the bags of food and grabbing a few plates from the cupboard.

"Hey, I'm just going to give Danny a call… see when he and Lucy will be home. If they're going to be awhile we'll get started on dinner without them, okay?"

"Where did they go again?" Susie asked as she grabbed a handful of cutlery from the drawer.

"To Staten Island to visit his grandmother," Lindsay said. Danny had called her around noon. He and Lucy had been on the ferry heading over to the island, and she could hear Lucy babbling away in the background. After seeing Nonnie at her birthday dinner a few weeks ago, Danny had been true to his word about spending more time with her, making the trek over to Staten Island to see her a few times a week. Sometimes he went on his own and sometimes Lindsay and Lucy went with him. Nonnie was always so happy to see them, making them feel right at home as she inquired about their work, their home, and their lives together. They would stay until Nonnie started to get tired. Then they would be shooed out of the room by Janice, Nonnie's fiercely devoted homecare worker, so that her patient could get her much needed rest.

She grabbed the phone from the wall and dialed Danny's cell, listening to it ring four times and frowning when it went to voicemail.

"Hey, baby," she said into the phone, "It's only me. Just wondering where you are. It's just after six. Give me a call when you get this. Love you."

She hung up the phone, shrugging her shoulders at Susie's inquisitive look. "He's not answering," she said. "So… I guess we get started without them. He can heat up a plate when they get in."

"Everything okay, Linds?" Susie asked as she grabbed a plate from the stack on the counter, handing it to Lindsay.

"Yeah… it's just… it's nothing," Lindsay said, as she began to serve herself dinner. "He's just… he always answers his phone, Susie. Always. Unless he's somewhere where there's no signal. But then I get a message saying he's out of the service area."

"Maybe he just can't hear it," Susie suggested. "I mean… he has to take a ferry to the island, right?" Lindsay nodded her head. "It's rush hour, it's probably crowded and noisy. You'll see. He'll call you right back."

"I'm sure you're right," Lindsay replied. They filled their plates, taking their dinner into the dining room and digging in.

**

* * *

**

So… what are we thinking? I'm thinking "I hope to God that this chapter worked…" LOL.

**As always, I love hearing from you, so please don't be shy!**


	32. No Rest for the Wicked

**A/N: *Picks up computer and blows off all the dust***

***Sneezes***

********

Hey. Remember me? Once upon a time, I used to update this story regularly…

So I'm back! Sorry for skipping out on you for a few weeks. It's been a tough September for me. Work is crazy – we're so short staffed that I feel like I'm trying to do 12 jobs all at once – and my sister got married on the weekend and I was a Bride-slave (whoops. I mean Bridesmaid. LOL.) So, all around, a lot of time and energy taken away from my writing. But things are finally starting to settle down a bit now (it was a beautiful wedding, BTW!), so hopefully that means more regular updates for this story… AND (drum roll please…) the new story I've begun to write. It's gonna be angsty. It's gonna be romantic. It's gonna be smutty. It's gonna be all those things you know and love (and if you're like me, you probably miss now that Mine, All Mine is finished…)

Anyways, that's still in the works. I'm going to try to get that one going in a little while. But for right now, I just want to concentrate on this story that I love so much. I realize I left you all on a bit of a cliffhanger (kind of unintentionally, but that's what I get for updating in the middle of the night). But enough from me. You don't want to hear me going on and on about this crap. You want more High School Daze!

Well, here you go. Chapter 32. Enjoy!

* * *

"Dat?"

"What's that?" Danny asked, his eyes moving to follow Lucy's outstretched finger. "That's a bird."

"Dat?" she asked again.

"That's a boat, sweetie."

Danny smiled down at his daughter who was eagerly leaning forward in her stroller, completely engrossed in exploring her surroundings as they sat on the top deck of the ferry that would take them back home to the city after spending the day on Staten Island with his grandmother. His parents had shown up midway through the afternoon and Lucy had been in her element, reveling in the attention lavished on her by her doting grandparents and great-grandmother. And now after a long day out together, they were heading back home to see Lindsay. Danny reached down, pushing Lucy's little hat further down on her head, ensuring that she didn't catch cold from the cool wind that gusted against them as the ferry began to move.

"Dat?" she asked, pointing to the darkening skyline of the city in front of them.

"That's New York, baby," Danny said. "That's home."

"Yock?" Lucy asked, looking up to him and cocking her head to the side. "Mama Yock?"

"That's right, Luce," he replied as he pulled the collar of his jacket a little tighter around his neck. "Mommy's at home in New York."

"Mama!" Lucy squealed, happily kicking her legs as she turned her attention back to the rapidly approaching cityscape. As they continued on their journey home, Danny glanced at his watch. Noting the time, he realized that Lindsay would be home shortly, and he wanted to make sure she knew that they were on their way back. He pulled out his phone and grinned at the background of the tiny screen. Just after they had gotten back from Montana, Lindsay had changed the picture on his phone to one of himself and Lucy as she rode the pony at Lindsay's reunion. It was one of Danny's favourite pictures of the two of them, and he loved being able to have that small reminder of his daughter close at hand, even when he was immersed in the more unpleasant aspects of his job.

"Hey, Luce," he said, "You wanna take a picture for Mommy? Show her what a fun day you had with Daddy?"

"Yah! Pickter!"

"Alright kiddo," Danny said as he crouched down next to Lucy, holding his phone up high and hoping that he could capture both himself and Lucy, as well as the New York skyline as their backdrop. "Say cheese!"

"Teeeeeeeze!" Lucy giggled as Danny pressed the button on his phone to capture the picture. He looked down at Lucy who was reaching for the phone, her little fingers wiggling, desperate to see the image. It was a new found fascination of hers, seeing herself in pictures. She had only just begun to be able to recognize herself about a month ago. Up until then, she had only recognized that there was a baby in the picture. He remembered swelling up with pride the first time she'd pointed to herself and declared that it was "Yoo-see" she was seeing in the family picture of the three of them that hung in the hallway outside her bedroom.

"Okay, Luce. Settle down," Danny said. "Come on, sweetie. Please don't grab from Daddy, okay?" Lucy let out a frustrated grunt as he tried to keep her from pulling the phone from his hand. "You settled? Done pouting?" he asked, tickling her under her chin and watching her try to hold back her giggles. "You wanna see, Luce? Here you go."

He held out the phone, letting her hold it in her tiny hands. He watched her face as she carefully studied the picture. She looked up at him, pointing at the tiny image on the screen.

"Dat?"

"I dunno, Luce," Danny said, shrugging his shoulders. "Who is that?"

"Yoo-see!" she exclaimed as she flung her arms wide. Danny managed to grab onto the phone just as it sailed out of her hand.

"Careful, Lucybear," Danny said, unable to stop himself from smiling at his daughter's enthusiasm. "You wanna send the picture to Mommy? Do you think she'd like that?"

"Yah! Mama!"

Danny stood up, leaning against the rail of the ferry as they closed in on the city. He quickly typed out a message to his wife and was just scrolling through his contacts when he heard Lucy whimpering and her stroller nudged his leg. He looked up to see a man had stumbled into Lucy's stroller and was currently looming over her. One look at his daughter's face told Danny all he needed to know; she was terrified. A stranger was getting far to close for her comfort. Forgetting the picture for a moment, Danny moved forward, quickly grabbing the man by the arm and pulling him away from the stroller.

"Hey, man. Watch where you're going, alright?" he said as he maneuvered himself between his daughter and the stranger. The man mumbled something incoherent as he began to stumble backwards. _Jesus_, Danny thought, _it's not even six and this guy is fucking wasted_. He shook his head, watching the man sway precariously a few feet away, before turning his attention back to Lucy. To his immense relief, he saw that she was fine, giggling and chatting quietly to her bear as if nothing had ever happened. Danny smiled to himself as he remembered the message he was sending to Lindsay when he had been interrupted.

He raised his phone, frowning when he noticed a smudge on the screen. Using his thumb, he attempted to clear the screen, only to find that it only made it worse, the small smudge turning into a messy smear. "What the…" Danny muttered to himself as he realized that it was not only his phone but his entire hand that was covered in the stuff; thick, sticky, and red.

His head snapped up, his eyes scanning the crowd for the man who had stumbled into him; the man he thought had been drunk. "Shit," he swore under his breath. "Shit. Shit. Shit."

He took a step toward the man who was teetering precariously on his feet. Moving quickly, Danny caught him just as the man's legs gave out and he slumped down on top of Danny, sending his phone skittering across the deck. He watched helplessly as the phone disappeared over the edge of the deck, dropping silently into the murky depths of the bay.

"Fuck," he muttered as he tried to free himself from under the dead weight of the man. With a final heave, he rolled the man off of him, taking a moment to assess his injuries. The man was wearing a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and as he looked closer, Danny noticed a darker patch on the man's chest. He touched it gently with his pinky finger. It was sticky and thick and red. "Shit. Somebody… anybody…" he called out, the other passengers finally taking notice of the scene in front of them. "Please! Someone call 911! This man's been shot!"

* * *

Lindsay and Susie had finished dinner long ago. The dishes had been washed and put away and the leftovers transferred to plastic containers and placed in the fridge for later. Lindsay kept glancing at the clock on the wall, wondering when Danny would call. Susie was doing her best to help keep her mind from wandering, from contemplating why she hadn't heard from Danny yet. It had only been an hour since she'd gotten home, not long enough to be really worried... but it bothered her. It bothered her that he hadn't called. And it bothered her that he wasn't answering his phone.

She was about to take matters into her own hands and start making some calls of her own - starting with his parents - when the phone rang, startling her. She lunged forward, grabbing the phone from its place on the coffee table and answering it after only one ring.

"Danny?" She didn't bother hiding the anxiety in her voice.

"Sorry to disappoint you, Lindsay, but it's only me."

"Oh. Hey Flack," she said, clearly disappointed.

"Whoa. Easy does it with the enthusiasm, Linds. You wouldn't want my ego to get all over-inflated."

"I'm sorry, Don," Lindsay sighed. "It's just… have you seen Danny?"

"Have I seen Danny?" Flack asked. "Um, let's see. About 5'11", blondish hair, blue eyes, surly attitude…"

"Don I'm serious!" Lindsay practically wailed. "I'm getting really worried. He was supposed to be home an hour ago and I haven't heard from him. He's not answering his phone… I just… I don't know what to do."

"Relax, Linds," Flack assured her. "He's with me."

"He's what?" Lindsay bellowed. "What the hell, Don? I've been sitting here worried out of my mind and you two are off doing God knows what; and with my daughter no less…"

"Linds… Linds… Lindsay!" Flack said, finally cutting off Lindsay's tirade. "Would you just chill out for a second so I can explain please?" he asked. Hearing nothing but furious silence on the other end of the line, he continued. "Listen, I just got called out to a scene. I show up at the dock for the Staten Island ferry and I find out we've got a D.B. onboard. Apparently some guy's been shot."

"Oh, my God… Danny!"

"Crap," Flack muttered. He wasn't doing this very well. He was supposed to be trying to calm Lindsay down, not make her even more anxious. "No. Sorry, Linds. Danny's fine. Lucy's fine. He's actually the one that called it in. They were on their way home and this guy stumbled over to them and crashed into Danny. He saw the guy was bleeding and tried to help him but… well, like I said. Now we've got a D.B. onboard."

"Shit, Don. You really scared me," Lindsay said, laughing nervously as she wiped away the tears that had begun to trickled down her cheeks upon hearing how close her family had been to danger.

"I'm sorry, Linds. I really am," Flack said sincerely. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," she said. She turned to look at Susie who was staring at her with eyes wide with concern. Lindsay gave her friend a small smile, mouthing the words _they're fine_. Susie's face relaxed immediately and she reached out and put a comforting hand on Lindsay's shoulder. "What do you need me to do, Don?" Lindsay asked. "Do you need help with the scene? Do you want me to come down?"

"Um, I don't think so. Danny asked me to call you, let you know they're alright, and that I'll be bringing Lucy home in a little while," he said. "She's pretty tired, and Danny can't leave. He's got evidence all over him… and the stroller too." Lindsay closed her eyes, trying not to picture her daughter's stroller covered in blood. "Oh, God. Don… can I talk to him? Is he there?"

"Yeah. Just a second," Flack replied. She heard his voice go faint as he pulled the phone away from his face. "Yo! Danno! Your woman wants you!"

"So what else is new?" Lindsay had to laugh as she heard Danny's response in the background. She listened to the faint rustle as the phone was passed from Flack to her husband. "Hey, baby. You okay?"

"Am _I_ okay?" she asked incredulously. "Jesus. Dan, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Nothing a long, hot shower and a good night's sleep won't cure."

"Good. I'm glad," Lindsay sighed. "And Lucy?"

"She's fine, babe. Really," he assured her. "She's with Stella right now. She's a little upset because I had to take her bear away. He got a little bit of blood on him, but I'm sure he'll be fine once we're done processing and I can give him a good cleaning."

"Oh, Danny… I was so worried."

"I know, baby. I'm so sorry. I was actually about to send you a message when the guy bumped into me… knocked my fucking phone out of my hand."

"What? Where is it?"

"Probably at the bottom of the bay by now," he replied morosely. "Just took the cutest picture of me and Luce too. It really sucks. I wanted you to see it."

"Oh, baby. I'm sorry."

"Yeah, well. It's no big deal," he said. "But babe, I gotta go. They need my clothes and I gotta give a statement, all that crap. I'm sending Luce home with Flack, okay? And I guess I'll see you when I see you. I don't know how long I'll be."

"I love you, Danny."

"Love you, too, honey."

"And Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful, okay?"

"Always am."

* * *

After hanging up the phone, Lindsay filled Susie in on all that had happened. Her friend's eyes were wide with amazement and curiosity as she listened.

"Wow," she breathed. "That is wild. I didn't think stuff like that actually happened in real life."

"Well, it does to Danny," Lindsay said. "It's not the first time he's found a dead body on his way home." At Susie's urging, Lindsay filled her friend in on Danny's encounter with the subway surfer so many years ago.

"Holy crap," Susie exclaimed. "Just… holy crap. That is too crazy!" She shook her head, then gave Lindsay a sly smile. "And you, little miss Hot Stuff, showing up all dolled up. I bet his jaw hit the floor when he saw you."

Lindsay blushed, remembering how Danny had stood, clearly in awe of her appearance after her night out at the opera had been cut short. His jaw may not have actually hit the floor, but the way he had stared appreciatively at her had certainly made her pulse begin to race.

"Shut up," she mumbled, trying to hide the smile that was pulling at the corners of her lips. "He was very respectful. Told me I cleaned up nice… and that he was hanging around with all the wrong people."

"Oh really?" Susie smirked, raising her eyebrows at Lindsay. "And let me guess, after that night, he began hanging around you a whole lot more."

Lindsay was about to argue when she realized that Susie was right. It was after that night that Danny had really begun to pay attention to her, his merciless teasing suddenly turning into something more endearing. Less irritating. He held doors open for her, pulled her chair out for her, took her out for coffee during their breaks and drinks after work. It had been that night that had somehow changed his perception of her from the new girl – the country girl – to someone he wanted to spend quality time with, and to prove himself to. That realization made her feel warm and happy inside.

"I still have the dress," Lindsay said shyly. "You want to see it?"

"Hell yes!" Susie replied, jumping up. "Lead on, MacDuff!"

Giggling, Lindsay led Susie down the hall to her bedroom, pushing open the door and flicking on the light. She moved to the closet, completely engrossed in the task of finding her dress. As she pawed through her wardrobe, she heard Susie giggling.

"What's so funny?" she asked as she continued her search.

"Linds… what the hell is that?" Susie asked.

"What the hell is what?" Lindsay asked, turning to face her friend. Her eyes went wide and she could feel her face flushing a deep red as she saw what Susie was talking about.

Mounted on the wall above the bed was her father's cowboy hat. Above it hung the sign Flack had made, declaring the prowess of the Baby Maker. And the leather reigns that she had used the night before to restrain Danny while she lavished her love on his body had been tacked to the wall in the shape of a heart, encircling the hat and sign in an enormous frame.

"All hail the Baby Maker?" Susie read. "What the hell, Linds? Is this your idea of interior decorating?" she asked. "Because I gotta say… it's a little kinky." She winked at Lindsay who turned an even deeper shade of red.

"Um… oh, God… I'm gonna murder Flack."

"Oh, no you don't," said Susie. "At least not before I get a chance to meet him. He sounds like an… interesting guy."

"You have no idea," Lindsay said, shaking her head.

"So… this dress," Susie said, changing the subject.

"Right," Lindsay said, turning her attention back to her closet. "Ah, here it is." She pulled the dress from the depths of her wardrobe, holding it up for Susie to see. "I should probably get rid of it," she said sadly. "I don't think it will fit anymore. I used to be a size 2, but since having Lucy…"

"Oh, please," Susie waved off her friend's insecurity. "You're what? A size 2 and a half?" she laughed. "You've got a rocking body, my friend. And I bet that dress will look even better now that you've got the rack to really fill it out."

"Susie!" Lindsay giggled.

"What? I've said it before and I'll say it again… Danny's a lucky guy to have such a smoking hot woman to come home to every night. I bet he'd flip his lid if he came home to you in that little number."

"Really?"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Lindsay. Just put the damn thing on, will you?" Susie laughed.

"I don't know…" Lindsay looked uncertainly at Susie who just rolled her eyes and scoffed.

"I'll turn around while you change," she said, turning to face the far wall. Not hearing any movement from Lindsay, she began tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. "I'm waiting!" she sing-songed.

"You're so bossy," Lindsay chuckled as she began to disrobe, tossing her clothes onto the still unmade bed. She carefully took the dress from the hanger, stepping into it before pulling it up over her shoulders and easing the zipper up the back. "Okay… you can look."

She watched as Susie slowly turned to face her.

"Wow! Check out the tah-tahs on you, lady!" Susie said, her eyes wide and her mouth open in shock. "Holy crap. Lindsay… seriously. You have got to wear this dress like, every single day! You look amazing!"

"Whatever," Lindsay said, shrugging her shoulders.

"No, not whatever," Susie said, grabbing Lindsay and dragging her over to the full length mirror on the back of the bathroom door. "Seriously. Smoking. Hot."

Lindsay's mouth gaped open as she took in her appearance. The dress that had once flowed so loosely over her body now clung to her more womanly curves, accentuating the roundness of her breasts and hips, and emphasizing her tiny waist.

"Wow… I… I look good," she said shyly.

"No. You look damn good, Linds."

"I have been so scared to try this on… I thought… I thought it would make me look fat."

"Not a chance, Linds. You look gorgeous," Susie reassured her. "Really, truly beautiful."

"Thanks, Susie."

"My pleasure," Susie smiled. "So… any other treasures in there you'd care to share with me?" she asked, raiding the closet as Lindsay got changed back into her normal clothes. "Ooh! What about your wedding dress? Can I see that?"

"Um… no."

"What? Why not?"

"I don't have one," Lindsay answered simply.

"What do you mean _you don't have one_?" Susie asked.

"I don't have one," Lindsay said again. "I never did." Seeing the confused look on her friend's face, she grabbed Susie by the hand and pulled her out into the living room. She stopped in front of the fireplace, taking down a picture of herself and Danny standing in the hallway outside the clerk's office in the courthouse. She was heavily pregnant, wearing jeans, a loose-fitting shirt and her jacket and scarf, and Danny was in jeans and a t-shirt with his leather jacket hanging over his arm. They were both grinning happily at the camera, Danny's arm around Lindsay's shoulders, her arms around his waist. "See," Lindsay said, handing the picture to Susie.

"See what?"

"Susie, that's my wedding picture," Lindsay explained.

Susie looked down at the picture, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips as she took in the happy couple staring back at her. "But Linds… you always wanted the big fancy church wedding… with like, seven bridesmaids and hundreds of people, flowers everywhere, the big white dress; you wanted the whole nine yards… we talked about it all the time when we were growing up."

"I know," Lindsay said, taking the picture back from Susie and gently caressing Danny's face. "But then I found Danny. And I realized I didn't need any of that stuff… I just needed him."

"Well pluck me bald and call me fluffy," Susie said, shaking her head. "That's just about the most romantic thing I've ever heard." She stared at the picture again as Lindsay carefully set it back in its place of honour on the mantle. "You look beautiful in that picture, Linds. Really happy. I'm glad for you."

"Thanks," Lindsay said, blushing. "It was really very romantic. Very spontaneous. He asked me just before we went into the clerk's office… had the rings and everything with him. Mac and Stella were our witnesses… it was really simple and unfussy. And very… us."

They both stood staring at the picture, lost in their thoughts until they were interrupted by a knock at the door.

Lindsay moved quickly across the apartment, pulling open the door to reveal a very harassed looking Flack and a very unhappy Lucy.

"Mama!" she wailed as Lindsay took the squirming little girl from Flack's arms. "Mama! Tee-bah! Tee-bah!"

"Oh, sweetie, I know," Lindsay said as she cuddled Lucy to her chest, rubbing her back soothingly. "I know you had to say goodbye to Tee-bah for a little while. But it's okay. Daddy promised to bring him home as soon as he can, okay?"

"Tee-bah," Lucy whimpered before burying her face in Lindsay's shoulder.

"Hey Don," Lindsay said, smiling at Flack as he stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind himself.

"Hey, Linds," he said as he kicked off his shoes and loosened his tie. "Danny says not to wait up for him. He doesn't think he'll be home till morning." He gave Lindsay an apologetic smile as her face fell. "Sorry. I wish I had better news for you."

"It's okay, Don," Lindsay said over Lucy's sobs. "Come on in. Make yourself at home."

"Thanks. You got any beer around here?" he asked.

"It's in the fridge. Help yourself."

"Thanks." He turned to head into the living room, stopping when he noticed that they weren't alone. "Um… hi," he said to Susie who was sitting perched on the arm of the couch.

"Oh, God. I'm sorry. I forgot you guys haven't met," Lindsay said. "Don, this is my friend from back home, Susie Hayes. Susie, this is our good friend Don Flack."

"Hi Susie."

"Hello yourself," Susie said. "It's nice to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you. None of it good."

Flack visibly blanched, his eyes wide. "Um..."

"Susie! Be nice!" Lindsay chastised her friend, giving Flack a sympathetic pat on the back.

"Oh, alright," Susie said, smiling warmly at Flack. "I guess anyone who can pull the kind of stunt you pulled on these two has got to be okay in my books."

"Uh... thanks. I think."

"Don, can you get Susie a beer too?" Lindsay asked, deciding to leave her two friends to their own devices while she tried to get Lucy settled for the night. "I'm going to try to get Lucy to bed… I might be a while though… she's never slept without her bear before."

"Oh, hey," Flack said, heading Lindsay off. "Just a second. I, um, I got something for Lucy earlier today. Kind of an apology for keeping her and Danny up all night," he said sheepishly. "It's… it's just in her room. I'll go get it."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows and turned to look at Susie, shaking her head. Susie grinned back at her. _Nice ass_, she mouthed, causing the two of them to burst into giggles.

"Um… so, I felt bad for taking away the… you know… the H-O-R-S-E-Y," he said, walking down the hall toward Lindsay with his hands behind his back. "So I got her this. I hope she likes it."

Bringing his hands out from behind his back, he revealed a small, plush horse. It was grey with a white mane and tail, just like the pony Lucy had ridden back at the reunion.

"Oh, Lucy! Look!" Lindsay gushed, gently jiggling Lucy in her arms, encouraging her to look up. "Look what Uncle Don brought for you! What's that?"

Lucy looked up at her mother then turned her attention to Flack. She gazed down at the small toy he was offering her. "Haw-see?" she sniffled, reaching out a tiny hand to take the horse from him.

"That's right, Luce," Flack said, gently ruffling her curls. "It's a horsey. Just for you, kiddo."

"Yoo-see haw-see?" she asked. She looked up at Lindsay who nodded her head and smiled. "Yoo-see haw-see!" Lucy squealed, giggling wildly as she clutched the stuffed animal to her chest.

"I think she likes it," Lindsay said quietly to Flack, smiling up at him. "And I have to say it's much better than your other little surprise." She nodded her head toward the master bedroom, smiling when he had the good grace to look sheepish as he shrugged his shoulders. Turning her attention back to Lucy, her heart melted as Lucy gazed adoringly at her new toy. "What do you say, Lucy?"

"Tank yoo," she said. Lindsay stepped forward as Lucy reached out and placed a sloppy kiss on Flack's cheek. He blushed and gave Lindsay a rather bashful smile.

"It's no problem, Linds," he said. "And you're welcome Lucy. I hope you have fun with him."

"Mama, haw-see!"

"I know," Lindsay said. "You're such a lucky girl, Luce. But you know what? Your horsey looks very sleepy. I think its time for him to go to bed. Do you want to help me tuck him in?"

"Yup."

"Okay. Say night-night to Susie and Uncle Don."

"Night-night!" Lucy bellowed as Lindsay carried her down the hall to her bedroom, the little girl chatting to her new friend the whole way.

* * *

It was late when Danny got home. So late it was actually early the next morning. Hazarding a glance at his watch as he trudged tiredly down the hall toward his apartment, he saw that it was just after 4:30am. Letting out a soft sigh, he quietly inserted his key in the lock and pushed open the door. Closing the door softly behind him, he turned the deadbolt and set the security chain in place before kicking off his shoes and dropping his wallet and keys on the table in the hall. He looked up and was surprised to see a light coming from the kitchen. Figuring that Lindsay must have left a light on for him, he walked into the kitchen to get a drink of water and something to eat before dragging his exhausted body to bed.

It had been such a long day. Having been up half the night, he had wanted to get home and turn in early. But that just hadn't been in the cards for him today. Now it was nearly morning again and he was so tired he was barely conscious. He fumbled in the fridge for a bottle of water and was just deciding between eating a handful of crackers or heating up some of the leftovers from Lindsay and Susie's dinner when he felt a pair of hands slip around his waist. Soft lips placed a kiss between his shoulder blades and he leaned back into his wife's inviting embrace.

"Hey, baby," Lindsay whispered in his ear. "Long day?"

"You know me," Danny said, deciding that he wasn't hungry after all. He closed the fridge and turned in his wife's arms, pulling her into his chest and resting his cheek against the top of her head. "Always looking to put in a little overtime."

"My poor baby."

"What are you doing up?" he asked as he gently rubbed her back, smiling at the little sigh of contentment that escaped her lips.

"You know I hate sleeping without you," she said. "I tried, but I just kept thinking about you. I wanted to know how your day with Nonnie was, and if you wanted to talk about what happened tonight. I missed you. I was worried about you, baby."

Danny closed his eyes and let out a sigh. "That guy, Linds… I thought he was drunk," he whispered. "I just… I shoved him away. I should have helped him, I should have known something was wrong and I just… I wanted him to leave us alone. If I had been paying more attention, or…"

"Shh, Danny," Lindsay said, pressing her finger to his lips. "Shh. You were protecting Lucy. Its understandable. Flack said that everyone on the ferry thought the same as you – that he was just some drunk guy looking for trouble. You couldn't have known, baby."

"Yeah, but…"

"No buts, Danny," she said. "When you realized something was wrong, you did everything you could to help him. Don't beat yourself up over something that's out of your control, okay?"

Danny sighed, resting his forehead against her shoulder. "I just can't help feeling that if someone had noticed him earlier, we could have saved him. He didn't have to die."

"Danny, what's done is done. You did your best to help him, and now we just have to work to find out who did this to him. That's our job now. It won't do you any good to stew over what could have been, alright? Just let it go, baby. Let it go."

Danny allowed himself a small smile as he pulled back, gently cupping his wife's face in his hands. "I love you so much. You know that right?"

"I know."

"What would I do without you?"

"Besides starve?" she giggled, taking in Danny's raised eyebrow. "I'm just kidding, babe. I love you too." She pulled him close, nuzzling into his chest as he leaned back against the kitchen counter. "How was Nonnie?" she asked. "Did you guys have a good time?"

"Yeah. Lucy had a blast. Everyone was fawning all over her. And Nonnie was…" he paused, swallowing hard as his emotions began to rise. "She's not doing good, Linds."

Hearing the catch in his voice, Lindsay pulled back from their embrace and looked up at him, gently caressing his face. "Baby? Talk to me, honey. What's wrong? What happened?"

"She... she called me Louie," he said quietly. "She didn't know who I was, Linds. Kept asking why... why Daniel wasn't coming to see her."

"Oh, God. Danny…"

"Ma said it's been happening more and more," he continued. "She gets confused, doesn't know where she is or who she's with. I… I don't know Linds. I didn't really get a chance to talk to my folks about it, but I don't like the idea of her living on her own anymore. I mean, I know she's got Janice who's there practically everyday, but maybe it's not enough anymore. Maybe she needs to be somewhere where someone can look after her 24/7." He sighed, scrubbing his face with his hands.

"Well, you know I'll support you, whatever you and your parents decide to do," Lindsay assured him. "I'm sorry you had such a hard day, sweetie. Can I do anything for you? You want something to eat? Or maybe some warm milk to help you sleep?"

"Nah. I'm good," he replied, pushing himself away from the counter. "I just need to sleep for about a year. Then I'll be fine."

"Well, I don't know about a year," Lindsay said, "But Mac called. He's giving you tomorrow off, so you can sleep as late as you want. I'll take Lucy to daycare when I go to work, okay?"

"Can't you call in sick?" Danny asked as he followed Lindsay into the bedroom after she had switched off the lights in the kitchen. "Come on, you know you wanna play hooky with me."

"I'd love to, baby," she replied, leaning up and kissing his cheek, "But Mac needs help processing the evidence from the scene tonight. He said since you were too involved, you wouldn't be able to do much anyways, so you might as well take the day. But me…" she sighed. "Well, no rest for the wicked."

"Hmm," Danny sighed, as he pulled her closer, wrapping his arms around her body and placing gentle kisses to her neck and shoulder. "You feeling particularly wicked tonight, Montana? Because I could really use a little distraction."

"Danny, you could use some sleep," Lindsay pointed out, giggling as his stubble tickled her neck. "Baby, it's almost 5am. I have to be at work by noon and I need my beauty sleep."

"You're already beautiful," he said as his lips found the sensitive spot just below her ear. He smiled against her skin as she let out a soft moan and instinctively tilted her head to give him better access.

"Danny…" she breathed. "Please… can we just cuddle?"

"Fine," he sighed, placing a final kiss to her neck before he untangled himself from her embrace and stepped back. "I'm just gonna jump in the shower, okay?"

"Danny," she said as he disappeared into the bathroom, unzipping the baggy blue coveralls he had borrowed after handing over his own clothes as evidence.

"Yeah, Linds?"

"I'll make it up to you tonight, sweetie. I promise."

"Oh yeah?" he said. "What'd you have in mind?"

"You'll see," she said mysteriously as she crawled back into bed, snuggling down under the covers. She smiled to herself as she closed her eyes, a nebulous plan forming in her mind. She lay there trying to sleep, telling herself that she was tired. That she needed her est. But she could hear the sound of the water running in the shower, and despite her tiredness and her protests to the contrary, all she could picture was Danny. Danny lathering his naked body as he showered. Danny, his body slick with water. Danny…

Before she could talk herself out of it, she had jolted out of bed and was tossing her pyjamas to the floor as she hurried into the bathroom. Pushing open the door, she crept across the tile floor and carefully pulled aside the shower curtain. She stood there for a moment, simply admiring her husband as he rinsed the shower gel from his body. He must have felt a draft from the open curtain, because he turned and a little smirk spread across his face as he noticed her.

"Knew you couldn't resist me," he said, his smirk widening into a genuine smile.

"Shut up and make room for me," Lindsay said as she stepped into the shower, snapping the curtain closed behind her. "I just figured that a shower would help me sleep, and we might as well save water."

"Uh huh," Danny said, clearly unconvinced. He grabbed Lindsay's pink shower pouf and poured a generous amount of her shower gel onto it, rubbing his hands over it and creating a mass of lather. "Come here, baby. Let me help you."

She smiled at him as she turned, closing her eyes as he began to gently scrub her back and shoulders. His touch was gentle and soothing and Lindsay let out little sighs as he softly soaped up her back, slowly moving down to cover her backside and the back of her legs in lather.

"Mmm. That feels wonderful, Danny," she sighed.

"Yeah? Turn around and I'll do your front."

Lindsay acquiesced, turning to face him, smiling down at him as he began to make small, soft circles with the foamy pouf, covering her thighs and stomach with lather before moving on to her chest. He paid careful attention to her breasts, gently caressing them until Lindsay finally spoke up.

"I think they're clean, babe."

"Just making sure," he said, winking at her. "Okay. Rinse off. You're all done."

Lindsay stepped under the water, allowing the soft spray to wash the suds from her body. She felt Danny gently push a strand of damp hair from her forehead before he pressed a gentle kiss to her temple, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her flush against his body.

She laced her fingers in the short hairs at the nape of his neck, tilting her head back and pressing a series of tender kisses to the underside of his jaw.

"Your turn," she whispered against his skin.

"Nah. I'm done, baby," he said, smiling as she let out a frustrated little huff. "What? You took too long to join me. Figured you'd be sound asleep by the time I got done in here."

"But I thought you wanted…"

"I do, baby," he said, nuzzling into her shoulder. "But you're right. We're both tired. You have work in the morning… it's probably better if we just go to bed."

"But…"

"Besides," he said as he reached down and turned off the water, pulling open the curtain and grabbing a large bath sheet from the rack on the wall and wrapping it around her, gently toweling her off, "I have a feeling I'm going to need all my energy for whatever you've got planned for tomorrow night."

He gave her a cheeky wink as he grabbed a towel of his own, wrapping it around his waist before taking off into the bedroom, leaving Lindsay standing alone in the bathroom with the distinct feeling that she'd just been played.

She tossed the wet towel into the laundry hamper before flicking off the bathroom light and crossing the bedroom, crawling into bed beside her husband. All her hopes of carrying on where he had left off in the bathroom were dashed as she saw he was already fast asleep, his breathing deep and even. He hadn't even made it all the way under the covers before passing out. Lindsay gently tugged the comforter over his inert form, smiling as he snuggled down under the blanket and let out a soft snore.

"Night, baby," she whispered as she cuddled into his side, her head resting on his chest. As she began to drift off to sleep, she couldn't help but smile. She would let him make it up to her later that night.

************

* * *

**Thanks so much for reading and for those of you who took the time to leave me a review! You totally rock! As always, I'd love your feedback on this latest chapter!**

**So? What do we think? Have I lost my touch? Or are we still interested in this story?**


	33. Foreplay

**A/N: Hey there. Me again! So, this update didn't come as soon as I'd hoped… but at least it's been less than two weeks, right? Right. Okay, so. Where to begin?**

**I have to thank my lovely readers and reviewers. I was so happy to see your reactions to the last chapter, and your positive responses really made my day. Merci a tout! Review replies are coming! **

**Now, I don't know what got into my ****muse while I was writing this chapter, but apparently she has gone from wanting to be all angsty, to suddenly melting into a giant puddle of goo. Not that that's a bad thing… but it means that this chapter is… well, it's pure fluff. Shameless, flirty, sexy, fluff. At least I hope that's how it comes across. So, if that's not your thing, and you were hoping for something else, well… pass this chapter right on by and come back the next time I update, okay? (But really, if you're not a fan of fluff, what are you doing reading this story? LOL)  
**

**Alright. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, I urge you to please enjoy Chapter 33! Come, join my muse and I. Become one with the fluff. It's good for the soul.**

**On with the show!**

* * *

"Oh, come on!" Danny muttered to himself. He sat at his desk, a game of solitaire staring back at him from his computer screen. He had arrived at the lab a few minutes ago in search of his wife. After sleeping late - long after Lindsay and Lucy had left for the day - he had puttered around their apartment, doing all the little chores around the house that he simply hadn't had the time to do over the past few months. After checking off the last of the items from what Lindsay called his _Honey-Do_ list, he had made his way back to the bedroom to grab a change of clothes before jumping in the shower.

And that's when he had seen it. His best suit hung from the back of the closet doors, a small note pinned to the lapel. He had smiled as he recognized Lindsay's swirly printing on the piece of paper torn from the pad they kept beside the phone in the kitchen. Carefully unpinning the note from his suit, he began to read.

_Hey baby__,_

_I was hoping to get to tell you this in person, but I just didn't have the heart to wake you up before I left for work. Flack is picking Lucy up from daycare and bringing her home. I told him that dinner is on us, so make sure you leave him a twenty for pizza from Ray's. Then put on your suit and get your sexy ass to the lab to pick me up at 8 o'clock. _

_I've got a surprise for you._

_Love you_

_Montana_

And so here he was. Killing time. He'd gotten here a few minutes early – okay, an hour early - hoping for a glimpse of his wife and some hint at the surprise she had in store for him. But no such luck. Exiting the elevator, a small bouquet of daisies clutched in his hand, he'd run smack into Mac who was on his way down to the morgue.

"Hey, Mac. You seen Lindsay?" he asked.

Mac had given him a steely glare. "It's not my job to keep tabs on your wife, Danny," he said. Danny had been slightly taken aback until he saw the corners of Mac's mouth tilt upwards, a playful glint in his eye. "Kidding, Danny," he said, the slightest hint of laughter in his tone. "She's just out tying up a few loose ends. She should be back around eight."

"Thanks, Mac," Danny said, smiling as Mac gave him a friendly pat on the shoulder before entering the elevator that Danny had just vacated.

"No problem, Danny. Have fun tonight."

He gave Mac a casual salute as the elevator doors closed, leaving Danny standing alone in the hallway. He let out a sigh, cursing his uncharacteristic over-punctuality. He had an hour to kill. What was he going to do with himself?

After borrowing a glass from the break room to hold Lindsay's flowers, he'd retreated to his office, not wanting to call too much attention to himself lest someone find something more constructive for him to do. He'd booted up his computer, deciding that a few mind-numbing rounds of Solitaire were just the ticket. But now the game wasn't cooperating. After a few more futile attempts to get the Ace of Spades he so desperately needed, he gave up, closing the window on his illicit game of cards before logging off his computer.

He checked his watch, relieved to find that it was nearly eight. He moved to get up from his chair when he heard a soft knock on the door. Looking up, he saw Stella standing in the doorway.

"Hey, Danny," she said. She smiled at him as she stepped into the room.

"Stella. What's up?" he asked.

"I was just heading down to the break room for some spectacularly overrated coffee when I saw a light on in here," she explained. "I know Lindsay's off finishing a few last minute things, so I thought I'd just pop in to turn off the light. Imagine my surprise to see you here. And looking mighty handsome, I have to say. It's been a long time since I've seen you in a suit, Danny."

"Um, well," Danny said, a faint blush rising on his cheeks, "Linds and I have plans tonight, so… you know." He nodded down at his attire and gave Stella a shy smile.

She looked over at the bouquet of flowers resting in a glass of water on Lindsay's desk, a knowing smile spreading across her face. "Danny Messer," she said, shaking her head. "Never would have pegged you for a closet romantic. Those are beautiful." She walked over to him, gently patting his cheek. "She's lucky to have you. You know that right?"

Danny turned his gaze to his hands, twisting his wedding ring around his finger, the blush on his cheeks intensifying. "Uh huh," he mumbled.

Stella smiled indulgently down at him before giving him a playful shove. "Uh huh? Really? That's all I get?"

Danny rolled his eyes at her, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips.

"Thank you, Stella," he chanted obediently.

"That's more like it," she laughed. "Now, how about a cup of Joe before you two hit the road? It's my treat."

"Stella, the coffee in the break room is free."

"Exactly," she said, laughing as she grabbed his arm, tugging him to his feet. "Who in their right mind would pay for that crap?"

* * *

"_Well hello, Miss Monroe."_

Danny's words, spoken so softly and almost reverently to her nearly five years ago, echoed in her ears as she stared at her reflection in the mirror of the women's change room. She had been surprised to find that she still fit into the dress at all the night before… but this? This was something else. She'd taken the time to do her hair so that it fell in gentle waves that framed her face, barely skimming her shoulders, her makeup soft and smoky. As she gazed at her appearance in the mirror, she didn't think she'd ever looked so good in her entire life.

It wasn't that she thought she was such a great beauty. Far from it, in her opinion. But she was happy, and it reflected in her face, her posture, the way she carried herself. She was no longer Lindsay Monroe; the new girl, lonely and friendless in a scary new city, yet to face the demons from her past. No, staring back at her tonight was a woman who had made far more of herself than anyone back home in Bozeman would have ever thought possible. A woman who had not only conquered her fears, but left them far, far behind her. But most importantly, she was a woman in love, and who was loved in return.

Nervous butterflies swarmed in her stomach as she glanced at her watch, realizing that Danny would be arriving any time now. She wondered briefly if he would even remember the dress. It had been so long since she'd worn it last, and they had been in a completely different place back then. They had barely been friends, let alone lovers, and he had never seen her in anything other than her work attire. Whereas now… well, by now he'd seen her in everything from her birthday suit to her rattiest pair of bleach-stained sweatpants. He'd been beside her during the very best and some of the very worst moments of her life.

So, what did it matter if he remembered the dress? She couldn't quite put her finger on it. Perhaps it was her own neurosis talking, but she thought that maybe it had something to do with making sure that she could still put that light in his eyes, that spark that had first appeared that night in the deep, dank, dark of the subway tunnel.

With slightly shaking hands she smoothed down the front of her dress, taking one last look at herself in the mirror before she turned and peered out into the locker room. Susie was standing guard by the door leading to the lab, ready to run interference should Danny arrive too soon, before his surprise was ready.

Susie's face lit up as she watched a clearly very nervous Lindsay emerge from the change room.

"Wow," she said. "You look fantastic, Linds!"

"Thanks, Susie," she replied. "I… I feel fantastic."

"So, everything's set?" Susie asked, moving away from her place by the door and sitting down on the bench opposite Lindsay's locker, watching as Lindsay placed the finishing touch to her appearance, fastening the necklace Danny had given her for her birthday around her neck.

"Yup," Lindsay said. "I made the reservations this morning, and I think… I think everything is going to be perfect."

Lindsay reached into her purse, extracting her cell phone which had begun to vibrate. Flipping it open she looked at the text message from Stella.

_The eagle has landed_.

Lindsay couldn't help the wry chuckle that escaped her lips.

"What's funny?" Susie asked.

"It's Stella," Lindsay explained. "Danny's just arrived. And I think I might have to stage an intervention… Stella has clearly watched one too many spy movies. It's starting to go to her head."

Susie smiled warmly up at her friend. "You ready?"

"So ready."

"Then let's go get 'im, kiddo."

* * *

"Here you go," Stella said as she handed a cup of the tarry muck that passed for coffee in their office to Danny. He nodded his thanks and accepted the offered mug. Taking a sip, he winced at the bitter taste as he swallowed.

"Oh, God. That's awful," he cringed, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and pushing the cup of hot sludge away from him. "Even worse than normal."

Stella grinned at him from across the table, not even bothering to taste her own coffee. "I'll take your word for it," she said. She looked at Danny who was stealing glances at his watch, clearly under the impression that he was being inconspicuous about the whole thing. "You know, a watched pot never boils," she said sagely.

He grinned sheepishly at her, tugging the sleeve of his jacket down over his wristwatch.

"Sorry."

"No worries, Danny," Stella said, waiving off his apology. "Besides, if you knew what she had planned for you…" she gave him a teasing smile.

"What?" he asked. "You know?" She nodded her head, wiggling her eyebrows at him. "Oh, come on, Stell," he beseeched her. "Throw me a bone. Please! I'm dying over here."

"What, and ruin the surprise? Tsk. Tsk." Stella tutted him, shaking her head, her curls bobbing around her face. "Besides the fact that I can't wait to see the look on your face… there's no way in hell that I'm willing to face Lindsay's wrath if I blow the whistle on her." She laughed as Danny gave her his best puppy dog eyes. "Daniel Messer! Don't you dare try working that charm on me," she said, covering her eyes with her hands. "I'm immune. Immune, I tell you."

"Fine," Danny said, slumping down in his seat.

Stella peered at him from between her fingers, giggling at his hangdog expression. "Quit your pouting, Messer," she said, snatching her ringing phone from her pocket. "Bonasera," she answered.

"We're on our way."

"Great. We're in the break room," Stella answered before snapping her phone shut. She stood up and moved to stand behind Danny. "Hey, Danny?" she asked, resting her hands on his shoulders.

"Yeah?"

"Do you trust me?"

"What?" he asked. "Hey! Stella!" he sputtered as Stella dragged him to his feet and covered his eyes with her hands. "What the…"

"Hey, cowboy."

He stopped struggling the instant he heard her voice; soft, sultry, seductive. "Linds?"

Lindsay took a deep, steadying breath before she nodded at Stella who removed her hands from Danny's face, taking a step back to stand beside Susie as they watched the scene unfold in front of them.

"Open your eyes, Danny," Lindsay said.

He slowly cracked one eye open, then the other. His sharp intake of breath, paired with the way his mouth soundlessly formed into a wide 'o' told Lindsay more than words ever could. She shivered as his eyes raked appreciatively up and down her body, slowly drinking in her appearance.

"Danny?" she asked after a moment, unable to take his stunned silence any longer. "Baby? Say something."

A crooked smile spread, slow and smooth, across his face. "Well hello, Mrs. Messer," he said, his voice low and husky, barely above a whisper.

She beamed back at him as she ran her hands down the front of her dress, smoothing away the imaginary wrinkles. She looked up at him coquettishly through lowered lashes. "You remember."

"How could I forget?" he said, shaking his head and taking a hesitant step toward her. "Wow, baby. You look… you're just…" he paused, licking his lips, his brain still stubbornly refusing to cooperate, the words he was so desperately seeking still lingering just out of his grasp.

How could he possibly forget? The image of her in that dress had haunted his waking hours for months. He'd been caught off guard. He had been so tired and she had appeared so unexpectedly, as if out of a dream. Surrounded by the grime and filth of the subway tunnel, Lindsay Monroe had been a vision of loveliness, and the words had been out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

"_Wow. You clean up nice."_

He could have kicked himself. What the hell kind of thing was that to say to a woman? Any woman? But especially the woman standing in front of him, looking so very beautiful? An unexpected pang of jealously had shot through him as he realized that she had put in so much effort in her appearance for someone else. That dress had been meant for someone else to see, to appreciate, to admire… and possibly to remove. Turning his attention back to the crime scene, he silently thanked the stars above that the darkness of the tunnel served to camouflage the flush of his cheeks as he caught Mac's eye and the older man gave him a knowing wink.

As he gazed across the break room at his wife, he realized that she looked a thousand times more radiant now than she had on that night. He knew it was foolish; she was the same girl, it was the same dress. But somehow, knowing that all the effort behind her appearance was for him? That at the end of the night – hell, at the end of every night – she was coming home with him? Well, needless to say, he counted himself among the luckiest men in the world.

"You look beautiful, Lindsay," he said simply as he took another step toward her. "Amazing." Step. "Gorgeous." Step. "Ravishing." Step. "Stunning." He stopped when he was close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body, to feel her soft breath as it whispered against his skin. Reaching out his hand, he gently stroked her cheek with the back of his fingers. "You clean up nice, Montana. Real nice."

In an instant she was in his arms, her lips pressed to his, her hands winding their way around his waist. Heedless of the two pairs of eyes that took in the scene before them from across the room, Danny gave in to the kiss, parting his lips for his wife's gently probing tongue. A soft moan escaped from the back of his throat as her fingers found purchase in his hair.

"Fuck me, that was hot," Susie whispered in awe as the couple finally parted, their need for air momentarily overruling their need for one another.

"I'll say," Stella sighed wistfully as she watched the couple in front of her exchange a few more delicate and exploratory kisses. Finally, slightly breathless, their faces flushed, they stood intertwined, their foreheads touching as they whispered words of love to one another.

Although they weren't shy about expressing their feelings for one another in public, Stella was more accustomed to seeing the occasional chaste kiss, perhaps some hand-holding, or maybe a quick, loving embrace. It was a rare occasion that saw Danny and Lindsay engaging in such an enthusiastic display of affection in front of others, especially in the workplace. It made Stella's heart melt to see them both so completely at ease, so completely enraptured with one another.

Deciding that she'd had enough voyeurism for one night, she gently nudged Susie with her elbow, inclining her head toward the door. "Let's leave the lovebirds alone, shall we?"

Susie nodded her agreement, the two of them quietly steeling from the room, but not before glancing once more over their shoulders at the happy couple still completely absorbed with one another.

"Wow," Susie said as Stella led her down the hall to her office where she retrieved her coat and purse.

"I know."

"So… I think we deserve a drink after all our hard work. How about you, Stella?"

"Sounds good to me," Stella laughed. "Have you ever been to Sullivan's?" she inquired as she slipped her arms into the sleeves of her coat.

"You mean Hot-Cop Central?" Susie asked with a wide grin on her face. "Does a bear shit in the woods?"

* * *

Alone at last, having heard rather than seen Susie and Stella slip from the break room, Lindsay gently stroked her husband's face. His reaction had been even better than she had dared to hope. Not only had he remembered the dress, but the glint in his eyes as he had gazed longingly at her had held a hint of that predatory and possessive gleam that always made her heart flutter in her chest and her knees go wobbly beneath her.

"You like?" she asked, gazing into his eyes.

"Mmm," he murmured as he leaned forward and nuzzled his face against her neck. "I like very, very much." She sighed, resting her head against his shoulder as his lips explored her neck, from her shoulder to her jaw. He had taken pains with his own appearance, she noticed. He had shaved, his cheeks and jaw smooth against her skin. And his suit? God, she loved him in a suit.

She thought back to the last time she had seen him in a suit, the night of the reunion in Bozeman. He had looked so smart. So incredibly sexy. She remembered thinking that she would have to talk to Mac about re-implementing the lab's old – more formal - dress code, giving her the opportunity to see Danny in a suit more often. Because in her opinion, the only thing better than Danny Messer in a suit was Danny Messer naked… but she doubted Mac would find that appropriate work attire.

She giggled at the thought of pitching the idea of Naked Thursdays to Mac.

"What's funny?" Danny mumbled against her shoulder.

"Nothing, baby," she reassured him, untangling herself from his arms and taking a step back. "I'm just happy."

"Yeah?" he asked, the corner of his mouth quirking upward on one side. "Me too."

She smiled at him, straightening his tie and gently smoothing out the crinkles in his shirt caused by her wandering hands.

"So. What's next?" he asked as he offered her his arm, which she took, slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Well, I'm taking you out for dinner," she said. "And then… we'll just see where the night takes us."

"I like the sound of that," he said, pressing a loving kiss to her cheek. They approached the elevator and Danny suddenly stopped in his tracks. "Shit," he muttered. "Um… forgot something." He took a step back, leaving Lindsay standing in front of the bank of elevators. "Get the elevator, baby. I'll be right back."

He turned and jogged off down the hallway, back the way they had come. Lindsay pressed the call button and waited. She heard the ding announcing the arrival of the elevator, and she held out her hand to hold the door open, turning just in time to see Danny hurrying back down the hall, his hands behind his back.

"Danny? What…"

"Come on," he said, gently taking her elbow with one hand and leading her into the elevator, pressing the button for the lobby. The doors slid closed and they felt the slight rush as the elevator began its descent down the 35 floors to the ground floor. He felt her eyes on him, and he gave her a tentative smile. "These are for you."

He pulled his hand out from behind his back, revealing the bouquet to her. He watched as she took the flowers from him, then lifted her gaze to his face. "They're beautiful, Danny. Thank you."

Smiling, she leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his lips. She began to pull back, but was stopped as Danny's hand moved to cup the back of her neck, holding her to him as he eagerly claimed her mouth with his own. She melted into him, pressing her body flush against his, her free hand snaking around behind him, sliding down from the small of his back to the swell of his backside. She squeezed him firmly and in return she felt the gentle pressure of his fingers as he massaged the nape of her neck in time with the movements of his lips, both of them completely oblivious to their surroundings.

* * *

Mac had his nose buried in a file as he waited for the elevator on the basement level of the building, one floor below the lobby. He heard the ding of the elevator and the quiet hiss as the doors slid apart. Looking up, he was startled to find the elevator was occupied at this late hour, and by two of his employees, no less. Two of his employees who were currently engaged in a fairly intimate exchange.

"Ahem." Mac cleared his throat, alerting them to his presence. They broke apart, their faces flushing in unison as they realized they had been caught – by their boss – in a less than work-appropriate position. Danny untangled his fingers from Lindsay's hair while she slowly withdrew the hand that was not currently holding a bouquet of daisies from where it had been clutching at Danny's backside.

"Sorry to interrupt," Mac said, his tone far from apologetic and a bemused expression on his face. With a more than a hint of amusement, he watched his two CSIs carefully rearrange their crumpled clothing as he joined them in the elevator. He observed them as he pressed the button to close the doors before making his floor selection; Danny discreetly licked his lips while Lindsay pressed hers together to hide her guilty smile. "So, I see you found her," he remarked to Danny, who nodded his head wordlessly, refusing to meet Mac's gaze. Mac grinned at him before turning to Lindsay. "You off for the night, Lindsay?" he asked casually as he leaned back against the far wall, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"Mmm hmm."

"You miss your stop?" he asked, arching his eyebrows at the two of them as they exchanged befuddled looks. Mac had been watching the indicator lights above the elevator doors as it descended to the morgue level, and it had definitely stopped at the lobby for a moment before arriving on the floor below. From the guilty looks on their faces, Mac correctly surmised that they had been so engrossed in their amourous activities, that the brief pause in the lobby had gone completely unnoticed by them.

"Well, you two kids have fun tonight," he said as the doors parted on the ground floor to reveal the lobby. Danny grabbed Lindsay's hand, quickly dragging her out of the elevator and Mac couldn't resist calling out after them. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do!"

Danny glanced back at him over his shoulder as he held the front door open for Lindsay, a smirk on his face. "But Mac, we wanted to have fun tonight!"

Mac chuckled and shook his head as the doors slid together in front of him before the elevator began its ascent back up to the 35th floor.

* * *

Dinner was wonderful. She had made a reservation at the restaurant he'd taken her to on their very first official date. She remembered it clearly. It had been a full two weeks after their tryst on his pool table, followed by their impromptu shift swap, during which they'd both been driven nearly crazy; Lindsay because she'd felt incredibly guilty about his injuries, and Danny because being confined to his apartment for even a few days had been tantamount to a life sentence in prison for him.

During the hours that she was at work, he would sit at home and come up with new ways to romance her. Her shifts were long and made to feel even more exhausting due to the fact that not only were they down two CSIs – Mac having taking an unexpected vacation – but the lab was being rebuilt after the explosion that had nearly torn the building apart. It meant that the remaining lab techs, scientists, and investigators had been forced to traipse around the city, using the scant resources of other labs while their own was being put back together, piece by piece. By the time her shifts came to an end, Lindsay was frequently miles beyond tired, dragging her bone weary body to Danny's apartment, only to find him annoyingly refreshed, with seemingly boundless energy to burn.

But it had all been so worthwhile. Even though his doctor had given him strict instructions to stay in bed and rest, his inherently active personality had instinctively rebelled against the doctor's advice, and she came home to a home cooked meal every night, usually accompanied by candlelight and always ending up with the two of them tangled together, sweaty and spent, in his bed. Or on the floor. Or the kitchen table. And that one time on the fire escape.

Okay. Two times.

Lindsay smiled to herself as she reminisced. Danny caught her smile and grinned back at her from across the table, taking her hand in his and rubbing his thumb across the soft flesh of her palm.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, cocking his head to the side, his eyes ablaze with curiosity.

"You really surprised me when you brought me here, you know," she admitted. "When you said you were going to take me out for a real date, well, I thought…" she shrugged her shoulders.

"You thought Italian," he finished for her. "Am I right?" She nodded her head, repositioning her hand in his so that their fingers were interlaced.

"Yeah. But this was so great. So unexpected. I'd never had Thai food before." She looked around her at the upscale Thai restaurant. It hadn't changed much in years since they'd last eaten here. The atmosphere was still the same; quiet, calm, and romantic. They sat in a booth tucked away in the corner, allowing them to enjoy their meal in privacy.

"Figured," he said. "Country girl. I thought it was high time you put down your buffalo burger and tried something different." She kicked him under the table and he winked at her, tightening his grip on her fingers. "So it was a good surprise, then?"

"Wouldn't be back here now if it wasn't."

"Welcome to Kaffir," their waiter said as he approached their table to take their orders, interrupting their conversation. "My name is Chris and I will be your server tonight."

Once they had made their selections from the menu, Chris gave Lindsay an approving once-over and a wink before walking away, causing her to blush.

"Asshole," she heard Danny mutter under his breath at the waiter's departing back. She squeezed his fingers as he glared across the restaurant to the alcove where the server in question stood, typing their order into the computer. When the man deigned to cast a quick glance back at their table, Lindsay's pulse quickened at the low, possessive growl that emanated from deep in Danny's chest.

She tugged on his hand, bringing his attention back to her. "Forget about him, baby," she said as he turned to face her.

"Did you see the way he was looking at you?" He narrowed his eyes as Chris made his way over to their table to refill their wine glasses.

"So let him look," she said. She had to suppress her laugh at the look on Danny's face.

"What?"

She gave him what she hoped was her most alluring smile, at the same time slipping her foot out of her shoe and brazenly sliding her bare toes up Danny's thigh under the small table, coming dangerously close to his groin. "You're the only one who gets to touch, baby," she purred, giggling as a slightly goofy smile replaced the scowl that had been on his face only seconds before.

"Have I told you how much I love you?"

She looked at him thoughtfully as she let her toes continue to explore him under the table. "In the last five minutes?" she pondered aloud, the pad of her foot gently skimming across the front of his pants, the cool metal of his belt buckle brushing against the tip of her toe. She smiled as she felt his fingers on her ankle, his hand sliding up to her calf and then back down again. With a sigh, he removed her foot from his lap, shaking his head at her.

"You are nothing but trouble," he said, his voice a low rumble.

"You love it," she giggled, deftly tucking her foot back into her shoe.

"I really, really do."

Having seen Danny's warning glare at his previous visit to their table, Chris kept his eyes trained solely on their food when he brought their dinner to the table. The rest of the meal passed uneventfully, the two of them talking, sharing flirtatious glances and soft touches. When it was time to go, Danny shifted in his seat to take out his wallet, only to find his pocket empty.

"Shit," he said. "Shit, Linds. I…" he looked up at her, seeing the grin on her face as she withdrew his wallet from her purse.

"Looking for something?" she asked coyly.

"What the.." he stared incredulously at her for a moment before a sly grin crept across his face. "You picked my pocket," he chuckled, impressed. "When?"

"In the elevator." She nearly burst out laughing at the priceless expression on his face.

"And here I thought you were just interested in the contents of my pants," he said sullenly.

"I was, baby," she assured him. "But I knew you'd try to pay, and this is my treat. _I'm_ taking _you_ out tonight. So, I took out a little insurance and grabbed your wallet when I knew you were, shall we say, distracted." She nestled his wallet back in her purse for safekeeping and brought out her credit card, setting it on the table top for their waiter to collect.

"You're really something else," he teased her. "My very own outlaw."

"Hey, you're no innocent yourself there, cowboy," she reminded him. "We were both living on the wrong side of the law that night at my parents' place, if you recall."

He grinned at her, taking her hand in his after she had signed the receipt and collected her card from the waiter and her flowers from the tabletop. He drew her to her feet and led her to the door, holding it open for her while she stepped out into the crisp evening air. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, tucking her snugly into his side as they strolled together down the street.

* * *

They meandered for a while, blending into the bustling evening crowds on the streets of Manhattan before Danny announced that he wanted to take her somewhere special. He hailed a cab and got her safely tucked inside before quietly giving an address to the cabbie through the driver's side window. He then slid into the backseat beside her.

"Where are we going?" she asked as the cab began to weave through traffic.

"You'll see," he said, pressing a soft kiss to the tip of her nose and slipping his arm around her shoulders.

She nestled into him, reaching out for his free hand and wrapping both of her smaller hands around his larger one, bringing them to rest on her lap. She sighed in contentment as the cab sped through the streets, her eyes focused on the man beside her. She watched his face as the lights from the street danced against his skin while her fingers toyed absently with his wedding band. When the cab lurched to a stop, he turned to her, stroking her cheek.

"We're here."

He held out his hand for his wallet, which she handed over. He paid the cabbie and then took her hand in his, helping her to alight from the taxi. She looked up, taking in her surroundings. A gasp caught in her throat as she realized where they were. She had thought… well she hadn't known where she'd thought they were going, but she hadn't expected this. This was very un-Danny-like. He usually eschewed places like this, claiming they were tourist traps to be avoided at all costs.

But here they were, outside the Empire State Building, and Danny was holding the door to the lobby open for her.

"Danny?"

He smiled at her, taking her hand and leading her inside. He paid for their admittance and they entered the waiting elevator together, her hand held tightly in his. "Have you ever been here before?" he asked.

"Once. During the day," she admitted.

"Hmm," he said, leaning back against the wall as they sped higher and higher. He pulled her into his arms and she happily rested her cheek against his shoulder. "It's better at night. Less people. More lights." They rode to the top of the building in silence, simply content to just be.

When the doors slid open on the top observation deck, he took her hand in his and led her out to the edge. She leaned on the railing, gazing in wonder at the vast metropolis before them, a sea of tiny pinpricks of light against the inky blackness of the night.

"It's so beautiful," she breathed as Danny moved to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, his chin on her shoulder. "I'm still not sure it beats the wheat fields," she teased, "but it's pretty damn close." She turned her head, to get his reaction. He simply smiled back at her before placing a soft kiss to her cheek, then turned his gaze back out to the glittering vista spread out before them.

Danny was quiet, and Lindsay could sense that he had something on his mind, but she didn't want to push him. She knew he would tell her when he was ready, so she simply leaned into his loving embrace, letting the comforting heat from his body warm her.

"I had it all planned, you know," he said softly.

"Hmm?"

"I was gonna bring you up here, Linds," he said. "This is where I was gonna ask you to marry me."

"W…what?" she stammered, caught unawares by his unexpected revelation. "When?"

She felt him shrug his shoulders. "One day."

She turned her head to face him. He smiled back at her and his arms tightened around her waist. "Why didn't you?" she asked.

He nuzzled against her cheek. "We found out about Lucy… everything started happening so fast. And I… I just…"

"You panicked and asked me in front of a bagel stand outside the lab after playing Twenty Questions with me," she reminded him gently, pressing a kiss to his temple and giving him a small smile.

"That pretty much sums it up."

"And I turned you down." He rested his chin on her shoulder and stared off into the distance. "Danny?"

"Do you ever… do you ever regret, you know, the way we did things?" he asked. "I mean, sometimes I feel like I took something away from you that day." He sighed, burying his face in her hair and breathing deeply, taking in the sweet scent of her perfume. "You deserved so much more, Linds. But I… I just didn't want you to go back to Montana without really knowing how much I loved you. It was probably the most selfish thing I have ever done in my life, and sometimes… sometimes I feel like I deprived you of the wedding day that you really wanted."

Lindsay closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry. She raised her hand, reaching back and resting it against his cheek, drawing his lips to hers for a delicate kiss. "Baby, I want you to listen to me, okay?" He nodded his head and she continued after taking a steadying breath. "Yes, when I was growing up I may have thought about a big, fancy wedding. I think that every girl does. But I realize now that it wouldn't have mattered to me if we got married at the Plaza, or in the City Clerk's office." She grasped his left hand in hers. She brought his hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to his wedding band. "At the end of the day, all I wanted was that piece of paper that said that you were mine, and I was yours." She kissed his cheek. "You're all I've ever wanted, Danny. And you're all I'll ever need."

He sighed contentedly as she kissed her way from his cheek to his lips, each kiss a reassurance of her love for him. When their lips met, it was soft and sweet, and he pulled back and smiled at her. "I guess I can live with that," he chuckled. Wiggling back further into his embrace, she was pleased to see that he was back to his old self again, no longer worried about disappointing her. She smiled as he kissed her shoulder before whispering in her ear.

"You're amazing. You know that, right?" he asked, his warm breath tickling her cheek. "You blew me away tonight."

"Yeah?" she asked, casting a glance at him out of the corner of her eye. "You were surprised?"

"You betcha," he admitted, grinning at her. "I didn't even know you still had that dress. Otherwise I would have found ways to convince you to wear it a long, long time ago." She blushed, swiping a stray curl from her cheek, and he took the opportunity to unabashedly let his gaze drop to her cleavage.

"Danny!" she admonished him, nudging him with her elbow.

"What?" he chuckled, his blue eyes alight with boyish mischief as he lifted his gaze to her face.

"Don't stare at my boobs!"

"Why not?" he challenged her, a ridiculous grin on his face.

"You were being so sweet and romantic," she whined, "and then you just… you… you…" Her stream of thought suddenly went veering off track as she felt Danny's hand slide up from her waist to her ribcage, his thumb gently sweeping along the underside of her breast.

"But I like your boobs," he whispered to her, a hint of amusement in his voice. She huffed at him in response and he gently trailed a series of fluttering kisses to her neck and shoulder. "You've got such nice boobs," he continued, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear. "It would be such a shame not to admire them…"

"Well, it's official," she giggled. "You're a pervert." She turned her face to look at hm and shivered involuntarily. He had that look in his eyes again, the one that made her knees begin to wobble. She let out a soft whimper as his thumb retraced its intimate path across the bodice of her dress, once again barely grazing her breast.

Unable to combat the sexual tension that had been building between them all night any longer, Lindsay turned in his arms, her lips fused to his, leaving him breathless as she plundered his mouth with her tongue. Her hands roamed freely over his back, under his jacket, down to his backside, into his hair. He was feeling slightly dizzy from what he supposed was a combination of desire and lack of oxygen. With a groan of protest, he broke away from her, panting as he rested his forehead against hers. Catching his breath, he cupped her face in his hands, the pads of this thumbs gently caressing her cheeks.

"What do you say we get out of here?" he asked, his voice low and rough with his desire. "Maybe go someplace more private? Where we can…"

"Talk?" she finished his sentence, giggling as he cocked one eyebrow at her.

"In your dreams, Montana," he growled, grabbing her hand and pulling her toward the elevator. "As much as I love you in that dress…" he punched the button to summon the elevator, "… I'd much rather see you out of it. As soon as possible."

**

* * *

So… I bet I know what you're thinking right now. I bet you're thinking that I'm a jerk for leaving you**** here, just when things were about to get really interesting. I'm right, aren't I?**

***Cackles evilly***

**I had to do it, for old time's sake. Besides, I really wanted to give you guys an update by the end of the week, and I'll do my very best to get the next one up over the weekend. Although I offer no guarantees. I could be in a turkey-induced coma for most of Sunday and all of Monday. **

**For those of you who are not my fellow Canadians, you may find the above comment strange, not knowing that Monday is when we celebrate Thanksgiving. For those of you who **_**are**_** proud Canucks like myself, I have only this to say… **

**Happy Turkey Day, eh!**

**Seriously though, I really do hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a bit different, with glimpses of some important moments (or at least how I think they might have gone down) in our favourite couple's lives. I would really love to hear from you, so please don't be shy. Leave me a review and give me something to be really thankful for! ;)**


	34. Lobsters and Tigers and Bears, Oh My!

**A/N: Hey! So, ****I wanted to make good on my promise and update before the long weekend was over, but my internet went down on Monday night. So, my apologies for the late update.  
**

**Thank you all so much for your lovely comments on the last chapter. Wow! You really blew me away. I was so nervous about it, wondering if I'd made it too sappy or too confusing with all the little flash-backs and memories. But I am so glad to hear that you loved it and you all were willing participants in the fluff-fest that was Chapter 33! Thank you! *applause***

**I am still a wee bit behind on my review replies. They're coming. They really are. I just wanted to get this chapter finished while the plot monkeys were still cooperating, then the internet went down… they will have to wait for another day. :( **

**Now, as for this chapter… well, if the last one was a fluff-fest, then I can only describe this one as smut-o-rama. My plot monkeys must have been sniffing glue or something, because between them and my muse I had so many utterly filthy ideas… well, I just couldn't choose. So I threw them all together here for your reading pleasure. **

**So, please, find somewhere private to read this chapter, because I don't want to get blamed because you got caught drooling on your computer at work (you know who you are!).**

* * *

By the time the elevator reached the ground floor of the Empire State Building, Lindsay was near desperate to get Danny out of his clothes. She needed to feel his skin moving against hers and she could tell that Danny was just as eager as she to see her similarly disrobed. They stumbled out of the elevator and she grabbed his hand, tugging him forcefully outside onto the street where there was a line of waiting cabs. She tore open the door of the nearest taxi, pushing Danny in ahead of her, barely giving him time to give the driver their address before she climbed in beside him, wrapping her arms around his neck and sealing her lips firmly over his as the taxi eased out into the rush of evening traffic.

God, he felt so good. His lips were so warm and inviting. Bt she needed to be closer. Sitting next to him wasn't enough. She needed to feel more of him. As she moved to straddle his thighs, she felt his hands on her hips, gently holding her back.

"Babe… mmph… baby, stop… mmph… Lindsay…" he mumbled against her lips as she fumbled with his belt buckle.

"What?" she snapped, as he tried to pry her off of his lap.

He stared back at her, his cheeks flushed, hair in disarray, his blue eyes wide and his lips swollen.

"We have all night, sweetheart," he said, gently stroking her cheek. "And I know you want this as much as I do, but you deserve better than the backseat of a cab." She grunted in frustration as she moved off of him and settled back on the seat beside him, crossing her arms over her chest.

She knew he was right, but it didn't mean she had to like it. Even so, her heart melted just a little bit at the realization that despite his own state of arousal, he had too much respect for her to just fuck her senseless in the back of a dirty old cab. But as Danny nuzzled his face into her neck, she knew she wouldn't last. She needed something – anything or she was going to go crazy.

She had been plagued by the dull ache of desire for him since he had put an end to their fooling around in the shower the night before, his weary body having finally succumbed to the sleep he so desperately needed, leaving her feeling more than a little sexually frustrated. And all day long the dull ache had steadily grown until she felt as though she was burning up from the inside out.

She calculated how long it would take for them to get home. With traffic the way it was tonight, it would be at least twenty minutes – maybe even half an hour. She didn't think she could wait that long.

She stole a glance at Danny out of the corner of her eye. He was staring back at her, his blue eyes flashing brightly in the dark of the cab. He gave her a smile before leaning forward and kissing her cheek. "I love you so much, Montana," he said as he slipped one arm around her shoulders and drew her into his side, skimming his lips against her temple. "Tonight has been so special, so beautiful. You're so fucking amazing." He reached out and took her hand in his, pressing a kiss to the backs of her fingers before letting their joined hands come to rest on her knee.

"We'll be home soon, baby," he whispered in her ear. He brushed his lips against her neck and she felt another waive of arousal wash over her as he gave her knee a little squeeze. "The things I'm going to do to you when I get you out of that dress…" she shivered as his lips closed around her earlobe, pulling the sensitive skin into his mouth.

"You're not helping," she huffed at him through gritted teeth. The dirty chuckle that escaped his lips did nothing to assuage her lust.

"Mmm… sorry, baby," he whispered, his voice low and husky. He adjusted the arm that was around her shoulders so that he could run his fingers through her hair, playfully toying with the soft strands as his lips moved slowly down her neck. "What can I do to help?"

Lindsay closed her eyes and leaned into his side, letting the sensations of his lips on her neck and his fingers in her hair wash over her. She needed an outlet, just a little something to tide her over until she got him home and could really and truly get the satisfaction that she so desperately craved. She turned to face him, capturing his lips with hers. She wrapped her fingers around the hand that was still resting on her knee, parting her legs and slowly sliding his hand up under the hem of her dress.

"Baby…" he began to protest as she inched his hand further between her thighs.

"I need you to touch me, Danny," she breathed against his lips. "Please."

He pulled back, his eyes searching hers. She watched as he stole a quick glance through the plexi-glass divider at the driver whose eyes were trained on the throng of traffic in front of them. Danny bit his lip then turned back to her. She caught a glimpse of the longing in his eyes before he crashed his lips against hers. She let out a sigh of relief as she felt his hand slide further up her thigh until his fingers brushed against the thin fabric of her panties.

She moaned longingly into his mouth as he let his fingers begin to explore her. She clutched at his forearm with both hands, undulating her hips against his gently probing hand, trying to get him to stop teasing her, to just slide his fucking fingers inside of her already. But he knew exactly what he was doing. He was doing what she had asked of him - touching her - without actually bringing her any closer to the release she was practically begging for.

"Danny!" she whimpered as he drew slow, lazy circles around her clit through the soaking fabric of her panties. "Please, baby. Please!"

"Please what?" he asked and she shivered, goose bumps erupting all over her body at the rough timbre of his voice.

"Baby, I'm so close… please! Just… just finish me off!"

As the words left her lips, Danny froze, letting out a low, lusty moan. Was she trying to fucking kill him? Jesus. That was probably the hottest thing he'd ever heard her say. He pulled back momentarily to take in her beauty. She stared back at him, her brown eyes darkened to the colour of coffee as her arousal raged within her, her pouting lips parted slightly, glistening and swollen.

He took a moment to look around and see where they were. Despite the fact that his brain was clouded by a haze of lust, he recognized the buildings around them. Eight more blocks. Given the traffic, he wagered they still had at least ten more minutes. He wanted to do so much more than just touch her. He wanted – no, needed - to feel her entire body against his, to be buried deep inside of her right now. But those eight fucking blocks… Turning his attention back to his wife, he leaned in so that his lips brushed against the soft shell of her ear.

"You are going to owe me so big for this," he whispered. "You know that, right?"

She responded by giving him a small nod and a dazzling smile, gripping his arm tighter in her hands and tilting her hips upward so that his fingers pressed more firmly against her. He took another cautionary peek at the cabbie who had - so far - given no indication that he was aware of what was going on in his backseat. Although, to be fair, they probably weren't the first couple to get down and dirty in his cab. And they certainly wouldn't be the last.

Pushing aside all thoughts of what previous passengers may have gotten up to in this very taxi, he shoved aside the gusset of her panties, plunging two fingers into her while sealing his mouth over hers to capture her moans of pleasure as he began to manipulate his fingers inside of her. Almost instantly, he could feel her muscles pulsating around him, squeezing his thrusting fingers tightly. She was writhing beside him, her fingers clawing at his wrist, pressing him deeper still. He thumbed her clit, flicking and massaging her, causing her hips to buck up against his hand.

He felt her body tense and he swallowed the long, low moan that signaled her release as her muscles contracted violently around his fingers. He slowed his pace, softly stroking her now, kissing his way from her lips to her neck, easing her down from her orgasm. He could hear her panting, see the steady rise and fall of her chest as she tried to catch her breath. Her fingers loosened their death grip on his arm. He knew he would have bruises the next day and chuckled at the thought of having to explain how he sustained those particular marks. She seemed to sense the same thing, and she began to rub his arm soothingly as she let out a satisfied sigh.

"Better?" he asked, pulling his hand out from beneath her dress after readjusting her panties to their original position. She leaned back into the seat, giving him a wickedly flirtatious smile.

"Mmm," she sighed. "So much better… for now."

While he was busy processing the meaning behind both her dirty little smile and the words that held a promise for what was to come when they finally got home, she seized the opportunity to send his lust-addled brain into a frenzy. He watched with wide, incredulous eyes as she took his hand in hers, placing his fingers in her mouth and swirling her tongue around each of them in turn, licking away the remnants of her own release. If he thought that her telling him to finish her off was hot, then he realized he literally had no words to describe what she had just done with his fingers. None at all.

"Fuck me," he blurted out eloquently.

"Mmm, yes please," she giggled coquettishly as she released his hand. He skimmed the pad of his thumb across her lips before leaning forward and kissing her, caressing her tongue with his, inwardly groaning as he realized that he could taste her on her own lips. The very thought made the pressure building up inside of him increase until it was almost unbearable.

"Are we there yet?" he managed to say, surprising himself with the ability to form a cohesive sentence.

Lindsay smiled seductively at him. His heart began to beat faster as her hand came to rest on his chest, her fingers toying with his tie. She leaned in close, whispering filthy words in his ear, causing him to strain painfully against the constrictive fabric of his pants.

When they finally arrived outside their building, the cab had barely come to a complete stop before Danny was out the door, shoving the requisite fare – plus a very generous tip – into the cabbie's waiting hand and dragging his wife toward the front door leading to their apartment. Lindsay giggled at his impatience and he silenced her by pressing her up against the glass door and plunging his tongue into her mouth. She fisted her hands in the front of his shirt, letting out a strangled moan of desire as he tangled one hand in her hair, the other clutching her breast through the fabric of her dress.

"Something funny, Montana?" he growled after pulling apart long enough to catch his breath. Her eyes glazed over, she shook her head as her hand trailed down the front of his shirt. She toyed momentarily with his belt buckle before allowing her fingers to continue their path southward until she found what she was looking for.

She drew his keys from his front pocket and jingled them in front of his face. "You have two minutes to get me inside our apartment and get your pants off, Messer," she purred.

"Yeah? Or else what?" he challenged.

"One minute fifty-nine seconds… one minute fifty-eight seconds…" she began counting down. She giggled as Danny grabbed his keys from her hand, muttering a string of obscenities as he fumbled with the lock. He held the door open for her and they hurried toward the elevator. She bit her lip to suppress her laughter as Danny rammed the call button repeatedly with his finger.

"One minute thirty-four seconds," she said, voicing the silent countdown that had been running in her head. "One minute thirty-three seconds…"

"Fuck, Linds!" Danny muttered, impatiently pressing the call button a few more times just for good measure. "It's not my fault this fucking building is older than sin."

"Too bad, baby," Lindsay teased him. "It's pants off in 90 seconds, or else you're going to have to find very creative ways to make it up to me."

"God, you are evil," he growled.

"One minute twenty-five…" she was cut off as he pulled her to him, slipping his tongue into her mouth to silence her countdown. She heard the soft whir of the doors sliding open behind her. Without breaking their kiss, she grabbed Danny's tie, tugging it gently and together they stumbled into the elevator, Danny reaching out blindly to punch at the button for their floor.

* * *

Don Flack was at his wit's end. Lucy had been screaming for what seemed like hours, and he had absolutely no idea what to do. He had tried everything he could think of, but nothing seemed to work. She wasn't hungry, her diaper was clean, she wouldn't go to sleep, and she didn't want to play with any of her toys. Apparently, she just wanted to scream.

Finally, in a fit of exasperation, he decided it was time to phone a friend. He balanced his cell phone between his shoulder an his ear while Lucy railed in his arms, her little face beet red and her hands clutched into tight little fists as she pounded on his chest.

"Shh, Lucy," he tried to soothe her. "Shh. It's okay." He breathed a sigh of relief when he heard an answering voice on the other end of the line.

"Bonasera."

"Stella, you gotta help me out here," he pleaded.

"Whoa. Don?" she asked. "Is everything alright? Is that Lucy?"

"Yeah," he replied, bouncing her in his arms and waving her new horsey in her face which only seemed to make her scream louder. "She's fine… I think. It's just… Jesus, Stella. She won't stop crying!"

"Just a second," Stella said, and he heard the faint rustle as she placed her hand over the mouthpiece, obviously conferring with someone else. _Shit_, he thought. _She's on a date or something_. "Okay, I'm back."

"Look, Stell," Flack began, "I'm really sorry to call you like this. If you're out or with someone…"

"It's no problem, Don," Stella reassured him. "We'll be there in ten minutes okay? Just hold on tight."

"Will do," he said. "Thanks."

He flipped his phone shut, tossing it onto the kitchen counter. He began to pace around the apartment, trying to find something – anything that would help settle Lucy down. But nothing worked, her cries becoming even more deafening by the second. He wondered how on earth such a tiny little girl could make such a racket. But then he remembered she was Danny Messer's kid, and suddenly it all made sense.

"Gonna have to have a talk with your Dad," he muttered to Lucy. "You got his temper _and_ his lung capacity. Serves him right though. His Ma always said he was a handful as a kid." He looked at Lucy, her tearstained face contorted with anguish as she continued to scream. "But you're not really a handful, are you, Luce?" he asked. "Nah, you're a good girl."

As he continued to move around the apartment, he thought back on the evening he'd spent with Lucy. It had been pleasant enough. Actually, if he was being truthful, he had had a lot of fun with her, despite the current state of affairs. He had picked her up at daycare, Lindsay having called ahead to let them know that a friend would be picking Lucy up that day. They made it back to the apartment and Flack had helped her with her dinner, ending up with most of it on himself. After getting the two of them cleaned up, he quickly found himself in the unprecedented position of sitting on the Messer's living room floor while Lucy used her Disney Princess brush to make him, as she said, "pwetty".

"You almost done there, Luce?" he'd asked hopefully.

"No."

"Are you sure? Because I think I look really…" he swallowed, not quite able to believe what he was about to say, "…pretty. Don't you?"

"More pwetty!" Lucy giggled as she continued to pull the brush through his hair. He couldn't help but smile, despite the compromising situation he'd found himself in. Frankly, he couldn't have cared less if he was caught having his hair styled by a toddler armed with a Disney Princess brush and a handful of pretty pink hair bobbles. She had him wrapped tightly around her tiny little fingers. And the truth was, he loved every minute of it.

The trouble had started when Lucy had finally declared that he was done. He glanced at his watch and realized it was nearing Lucy's bedtime. She'd been willing enough to let him give her a bath and get her into the onesie she wore to bed. But when he had tried to put her in her crib, she had looked trustingly up at him and asked for something he just couldn't give her.

"Tee-bah?"

Shit.

"Um, sorry Luce," he said. "Remember, he went away for a little bit. How about your horsey instead?" He handed her the small grey pony he'd brought over for her the other day. She'd taken it from his hands, examined it carefully and then set it aside.

"No hawsee. Tee-bah p'ease."

Within moments, all hell had broken loose. He remembered Danny telling him once to just let her cry if she put up a fuss about going to bed. But her cries quickly escalated to gut-wrenching sobs and he just couldn't do it. She was just so little, and he couldn't sit in the living room pretending that everything was okay, knowing how upset she was. So he'd crept back into her room, hoping that he could somehow convince her to settle down, but no such luck.

And now here he was, nearly an hour later, and she was still screaming. He was near tears himself he was so frustrated. He heaved a huge sigh of relief when he heard a knock on the door.

"NYPD. Open up!"

"Thank God you're here!" he said as he opened the door to reveal Stella and Susie standing out in the hallway.

"Jesus, Don," Stella said, taking the screaming infant from his arms. "What did you do to her?" She had just been joking, but the hurt look on his face had her backpedaling quickly. "Sorry… I didn't mean that the way it sounded."

"S'alright," he said. "She was fine, but then I tried to put her to bed, and she wanted her bear…"

"Oh, you poor thing," Stella said, stroking Lucy's hair gently. Lucy looked up at her through tear-filled eyes. Realizing that she was no longer in Flack's arms, her cries double again in volume.

"Holy Christ!" Susie said. "Kid's got a set of lungs, doesn't she?"

"Messer's kid," Stella said, shrugging her shoulders.

"You mind if I try?" Susie asked, holding out her hands.

"Knock yourself out," Stella replied, handing Lucy over to her. She and Flack watched as Susie held Lucy gently in her arms, rubbing her back and whispering soothing words in her ear.

"What's the matter, honey?" Susie murmured quietly. "Oh, so much noise for such a little girl! Tell Susie what's wrong. What's the matter, sweetie?"

"D-d-dada!" Lucy stammered through her tears. "M-m-mama. D-d-dada!"

Susie quickly scanned the room, smiling as she saw what she was looking for.

"Hey, Lucy. What's this?" Susie asked as she walked over to the mantle, taking down the picture Lindsay had shown her the night before of she and Danny on their wedding day. She pointed at Danny in the photograph. "Who's that, Lucy?"

"D-d-dada?"

"That's right! That's your daddy!" Susie praised her, moving her finger so that she was pointing at Lindsay. "And who's this?"

"M-mama?" Lucy sniffled.

"Good girl, Lucy!" she said. She smiled over her shoulder at Flack and Stella as Lucy's cries began to diminish in volume. "Hey, can one of you go to Danny and Lindsay's bedroom and get me a shirt or something from one of them?"

"Uh… okay." Flack looked at Susie skeptically before disappearing down the hall and reappearing moments later with Danny's old NY Giants t-shirt in his hand. "Will this do?"

"Perfect," Susie said, taking the shirt from him. "Hey, Lucy! Look what I have!" She draped the shirt over her shoulder and smiled as Lucy leaned forward and rested her head against the shirt, clearly soothed by the familiar scent of her father. She stuffed her thumb into her mouth while her fingers fisted into the fabric. Susie felt her little body, so rigid and tense only moments before, begin to relax. Soon, she was fast asleep. Susie excused herself and crept down the hall, laying Lucy down in her crib. She knotted the t-shirt into a tight ball so that there was no chance of Lucy accidentally smothering herself with it, and set it down in the crib beside her. When she emerged from the nursery, she had to laugh at the incredulous expressions on Flack and Stella's faces.

"What?" she asked, grabbing a beer from the fridge and settling down on the couch.

"You… how… what…" was all Flack could get out, his mouth gaping open and closed.

"I think what Don is trying to say is how the hell did you do that?" Stella asked, clearly impressed. Flack mutely nodded his head in agreement.

"I've got two kids," Susie said as she propped her feet up on the coffee table. "It's all trial and error. My youngest was about Lucy's age when my husband and I split up, and I found that when I couldn't get Jason to settle, sometimes having something that reminded him of his dad helped."

Flack nodded his head. "Yeah. That makes sense," he said. "Danny does have a very unique odour."

He caught Stella's eye and then Susie's, and the three of them broke out laughing.

"You guys want some pizza?" Flack asked. "It's probably cold by now, but it's from Ray's."

"You let Ray's pizza get cold, Flack?" Stella asked, shaking her head. "For shame."

"Guy delivered it just before Lucy started screaming," he said. "Never got a chance to enjoy it." He brought the pizza box out from the kitchen and set it down on the coffee table. "Now, normally, I would never share, but you two ladies cut your evening short to help me out, so it's the least I can do."

"Don't mind if I do," Susie said, reaching out and taking a slice of pizza from the box. She took a bite and let out an appreciative groan. "Mmhmm. Mmhmm," she said, nodding her head. "That's some damn good pizza."

"Best in the city," Flack said, taking a huge bite of his own slice.

"Hey, Don. There's something I've been meaning to ask you," Susie said as she chewed thoughtfully on another mouthful of pizza.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"What the hell is up with your hair?"

"What?" he asked, clearly confused. "What do you mean?" He raised his hand to his head. Feeling something in his hair, he jumped up and ran to the bathroom. Flicking on the light, he was mortified to see that in his panic about Lucy he had completely forgotten about all the little pink barrettes and bobbles she had put in his hair. They were sticking up all over the place, making him look like some kind of gender-confused porcupine.

He grumbled as he began to tug the ornaments from his hair. He hoped like hell that he could convince Stella and Susie to keep this to themselves. After all, he had a reputation to uphold. What would the guys at the precinct think if they heard about this? He sighed as he retrieved the last of the bobbles from his hair. He was going to have to do some serious groveling if he wanted this to stay within the four walls of the Messer's apartment.

* * *

The three of them sat in the living room eating their pizza, enjoying a few bottles of Danny and Lindsay's beer and watching a James Bond movie marathon on TV. Flack glanced at his watch and was just about to announce that Danny and Lindsay should be home shortly when they heard a loud thump from out in the hallway.

"What was that?" Stella asked.

"No idea," Flack said. He was about to get up and check out the noise when they heard it again; a loud thump against the front door of the apartment, this time followed by a loud moan of… pleasure?

"Oh, God… Danny!" Lindsay moaned, her voice muffled by the thickness of the door.

"Uh, oh," Susie chuckled. "Sounds like Mommy and Daddy are home!" The three friends shared conspiratorial smiles as the thump sounded again, this time accompanied by the sound of keys jingling and scraping against the lock.

"Fuck, Linds," they heard Danny mutter. "Cut it out. I'm trying to open the door."

"Well hurry up," Lindsay replied. "You've only got fifteen seconds left, cowboy."

Suddenly the door swung open and Danny and Lindsay stumbled into the apartment, joined at the lips. Lindsay's hands were wound tightly around Danny's waist, his shirt untucked and his tie askew. He blindly groped for the table beside the door where he normally dropped his keys when he got home, but Lindsay pushed him up against the door, causing it to slam shut behind them. Apparently he decided to forget about the table, and that the floor was a good enough place for his keys to spend the night.

"Wow. Looks like date night was a big success," Susie observed loudly, not wanting her friends to get too carried away before realizing that they had an audience.

Having heard her voice, the couple pulled apart, panting heavily as they focused their attention on the living room. Lindsay had the good grace to blush, while Danny grinned like an idiot at the three people staring back at him.

"Um… so, maybe we should clean up," Stella said, standing and grabbing the pizza box and a few of the beer bottles from the coffee table.

"Here, let me help you," Susie offered, grabbing the remaining bottles, the two of them hurrying off to the kitchen, leaving Flack alone in the living room with Danny and Lindsay.

"Hey, Don," Danny said, slightly breathless. "How was Lucy? Was she good for you?" He stepped forward into the living room, but stopped suddenly, his face flushing bright red. He grabbed Lindsay by the hips and maneuvered her so that she was walking in front of him.

"Danny! What…" Lindsay protested. But as Danny pulled her back against his body, realization dawned on her face and she had to bite her lip to keep herself from giggling.

"Uh, yeah. Yeah, she was good," Flack said, averting his eyes from his friends, trying to think of anything other than the fact that his best friend was hiding behind his wife to conceal his obvious arousal. "She, uh, had a little problem going to bed," he explained, staring intently at a particularly interesting spot on the wall opposite him. "So, Stella and Susie came over to give me a hand. She's been asleep for a few hours."

"Good," Danny said. "Uh, babe? You wanna come with me to check on her?"

"No, I'm fine baby," Lindsay said, her voice laced with amusement. "You go ahead."

"Linds!" Danny pleaded, giving her a meaningful look. She smiled at him and patted his cheek affectionately. Realizing that he wasn't getting any help or sympathy from his wife, Danny narrowed his eyes at her and took off running down the hall toward the bedrooms.

Lindsay watched him go, then turned her attention back to Flack, quickly flipping the switch to Mommy-mode.

"So, she gave you a bit of a hard time tonight?" she asked, perching on the arm of the couch. "Had to call for some moral support?"

"I'm sorry, Linds," he said, running his fingers through his now bobble-free hair. "I just didn't know what else to do."

"You could have called us, you know," Lindsay said, patting him on the shoulder.

"I couldn't do that to you guys," he said, looking up at her and smiling. "You two deserve a night off every once in a while. And I'm happy to help. She's such a good kid." Lindsay beamed at his compliment. "I just needed, as you said, a little moral support." He turned and looked over his shoulder at the two women tidying up the kitchen. "Me and Stell had no idea what we were doing," he admitted, "But Susie was great with Lucy. She knew exactly what to do."

"Well, she's had some practice," Lindsay said.

"Alright. We're all done in here," Stella declared as she and Susie came back into the living room. "Now, what do you say we take off. It's late, and I know that Lindsay and Danny have some… unfinished business to take care of," she said suggestively, winking at Lindsay.

"Thanks for coming over, you guys," Lindsay said, choosing to rise above and ignore Stella's comment. "We owe you all big time."

"Nah," Susie said as she pulled Lindsay in for a hug. "It's Don that owes us big time, if he knows what's good for him."

Confused, Lindsay shifted her gaze between the three of them. Stella and Susie were smiling like a pair of lunatics, while Flack looked decidedly uncomfortable, again running his fingers through his hair.

"You know what?" she said as she walked with the group to the door, bending down to pick up Danny's keys from the floor. "I don't think I even want to know."

She opened the door and ushered them all out into the hall, calling her goodbyes to them as they traipsed away toward the elevators, Stella and Susie in fits of giggles while Flack loudly bemoaned their teasing.

Shaking her head and smiling, Lindsay closed the door and set the security chain in place before locking the deadbolt.

"Okay, Danny," she said. "They're gone. It's safe to come out now."

"You are going straight to hell," Danny muttered from out of sight down the hall.

"Oh, come on, Danny!" Lindsay giggled. "It's not like everyone didn't already know what was going on. I mean, I practically had my hand down your pants, baby."

"Yeah, well. A little support would have been nice," he said, rounding the corner into the living room and leaning up against the wall.

"Stella and Susie were in the kitchen, Dan," Lindsay said, taking a cautious step toward him. "And Flack was too preoccupied with looking anywhere but at us. I figured it didn't matter."

"Matters to me," Danny huffed, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well then I'm sorry, sweetheart," Lindsay said truthfully, closing the distance between them and gently stroking his cheek, hoping to wipe the scowl off his face. "I really am."

"Forget about it," Danny replied, brushing away her hand. "I'm gonna get a beer."

Lindsay sighed as he walked past her into the kitchen. She heard the fridge door open and the sound of him moving things around on the shelves.

"Shit," he muttered. "There's no beer left." He slammed the fridge door shut and came back out into the living room, slumping down onto the couch. She followed him, standing behind him and gently massaging his shoulders while he toyed aimlessly with a coaster on the end table beside the couch.

"Baby?" she asked. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "It's just… the moment's gone, you know?"

She ran her fingers through his hair, placing a kiss to the top of his head. Then she stepped around him, nudging his leg with her knee so that he would make room for her. She stepped between his legs and perched on his knee, pressing a kiss to the underside of his jaw.

"You think so?" she asked as her lips moved along the smooth skin of his jaw. "That sounds like a challenge to me."

"Linds…"

"Just give me a minute baby. I'm sure we can get the moment back," she said, her lips brushing against the skin just behind his ear. "Besides, I seem to remember you saying something about getting me out of this dress… and all the things you wanted to do to me."

"Sounds like something I'd say," he chuckled, titling his head to give her better access to his neck.

"Mmm," Lindsay agreed, sighing against his skin. She let her hand drift down the front of his shirt, coming to rest on his belt buckle. She made short work of unfastening the clasp before moving on to his button and fly. She slid her hand into his pants, massaging him through his boxers. She heard his breath hitch in his throat as she applied more pressure, feeling his cock stiffening against her hand and she smiled into his neck. "You like that baby?"

She took his low, appreciative moan as a yes. She slid her hand under the waistband of his underwear and he gasped as her fingers closed around his hardening cock, stroking him slowly and firmly.

"How about that, honey?" she asked. "Does that feel good?"

"Fuck," he groaned. "So good, baby."

She squirmed on his lap, her own arousal rearing its head at the sighs and moans coming from her husband. Sensing her need for something more, Danny slid his hand up, cupping her breasts, squeezing her gently through the fabric of her bodice. Soon, his mouth joined his hand, his lips, tongue and teeth exploring the swell of her breasts exposed above the plunging neckline of her dress.

"I know I said it already," he mumbled against her skin, "But, Jesus, baby. I fucking love your tits." He dipped his tongue into the valley between her breasts, eliciting a sigh from Lindsay. "And in this dress? It should be illegal for you to look this good, Montana."

She squeezed his cock harder in response to both his words and his wandering mouth and hands. Suddenly, she couldn't wait any more; the temporary relief he had given her in the back of the cab was no longer enough. "Danny, please…I need you, honey."

His mouth still firmly latched to her breasts, he slid his hand up under her dress, but she stilled his hand with hers. "No, baby. Not with your hands. I know you need me too."

She stood, shimmying out of her panties, then moved so she was straddling his lap, her knees sinking into the soft cushions of the couch on either side of his hips. She reached down and freed his hardened cock from the confines of his boxers, sealing her mouth over his in a desperate kiss as she sank down onto him, rocking her hips roughly against his, not even bothering to allow herself to stretch around his erection.

"Linds…" Danny panted against her lips. "Baby, where's the fire? Slow down, honey."

"We can make love later, Danny," she replied, widening her stance to take him deeper. "Oh, God! I just… please, baby. I just need you to fuck me right now. I'm so close, Danny. Please!"

_Wel__l, who am I to argue with that?_ Danny thought. He could take his time undressing her later, exploring the beautiful body he knew lay beneath that dress. He tightened his grip on her hips, meeting each of her downward thrusts with an upward thrust of his own, her pleas for faster, harder, deeper urging him on until he felt himself on the verge of his release. He felt her body tense and she sealed her mouth over his, moaning against his lips as she contracted around his cock, sending him spiraling over the edge himself.

Panting and breathless, he leaned his head against the back of the couch and Lindsay tucked her head under his chin, her cheek pressed against his collarbone. He felt her breath against his neck as she let out a contented sigh.

"God, I've been waiting for that all damn day," she said. She sat up, grinning at him, her cheeks flushed a beautiful rosy hue and her brown eyes shining brightly. "You sent me to bed horny as hell last night, Messer," she chastised him. "You know that, right?"

"Sorry, babe," he said, reaching up and running his thumbs over the apples of her cheeks. "Didn't really think I'd be much use to you, as tired as I was."

"Oh yeah?" she asked, arching her eyebrow and tapping the tip of his nose with her finger. "Because I think that you knew exactly what you were doing."

"What, you think I'd deny you on purpose, baby?" he asked. "Not a chance. You know I just can't say no to you."

She gave him a delighted smile before adjusting herself so that she was once again perched on his knee, cuddling into his chest after helping him tuck himself back into his boxers. He cradled her in his arms, pressing light, fluttering kisses to the side of her face.

"Danny?" she asked, breaking the contented silence between them.

"Yeah, baby?"

"Did… did you mean what you said?"

"About what, Linds?"

"About wanting to marry me? I mean, even before we knew about Lucy?"

He was quiet for a moment, his hand skimming up and down her arm while he collected his thoughts.

"I don't know when I first thought about it," he said. "I just… what we had, Linds, it was so different from anything else I'd ever experienced with a woman before. I never had those same feelings; marriage was never even an option." He squeezed her in his arms, kissing her cheek. "But with you, I think I knew pretty early on that you were different. That we were different, and that I was different when I was with you. I stopped looking around after I met you, even before we were really together. I think I knew, deep down, that you were it for me. If it wasn't gonna be you, then it wasn't going to be anybody."

"So you're saying that I was your lobster?"

Danny laughed, remembering the Friends episode she was referring to. "Yeah, babe. You were my lobster."

"You know, I never really liked lobsters before," Lindsay said, smiling up at him as he played with her hair. "Always thought they were kind of creepy looking, like little aquatic aliens or something."

"Yeah, I can see that," Danny said, pinching her chin affectionately with his thumb and forefinger and pecking her on the lips.

"Suddenly, I think I really like lobsters."

"Even better than tigers?"

She considered his question carefully, then graced him with another dazzling smile.

"Tigers are still my favourite," she giggled. "But lobsters are a close second."

"Good to know, honey," he said, grinning at her. "Good to know."

He pulled her closer, pressing his lips softly against hers. Her arms wound around his neck and she angled her head to deepen their kiss, massaging the back of his neck with her fingers.

In desperate need of air, she pulled back, sighing as Danny trailed a line of open-mouthed kisses down to her shoulder. She whimpered softly as he bared his teeth, biting the soft flesh just above her collarbone before soothing the sensitive area with his tongue.

"Danny, please… no hickeys, baby," she breathed. She could feel him smirking against her skin.

"Too late," he replied.

"You keep that up, you're not going to get to unwrap me," she advised him. She felt his arms tighten possessively around her, and it was her turn to smirk.

"Not fair, Montana," he said as he continued his oral exploration of her chest and neck. "You have no idea how long I've fantasized about helping you out of this particular dress."

She felt herself blush at his admission. She knew exactly how long it had been. Five years. Somehow, hearing that he had sexual fantasies about her even then, long before they had become serious about one another… it made her pulse quicken and she felt the throbbing heat of her arousal began to spread through her body anew.

"Five years is a long time to wait, cowboy," she said, untangling herself from his arms and pushing herself up off the couch. "How about you come into the bedroom and unzip me?"

She began to walk away, swaying her hips seductively. She paused, looking back at him over her shoulder, giving him a flirtatious little wink.

"Don't leave me hanging, baby," she said, "Or it might be five more years before you get another chance."

She let out a little squeal as he shot up off the couch and chased her into the bedroom. He captured her in his arms, his eyes darkened to the colour of sapphires as he gazed longingly down at her. She raised her hand, stroking his cheek with her fingers.

"I love you so much, Danny," she said. She leaned into him, pressing her lips against his before turning in his arms. "Now, unzip me."

"Yes ma'am," he said. He slid his hands up the back of her dress and took hold of the little metal tab, slowly inching the zipper down. She had thought he would just unzip the dress and toss it aside. But as usual, he surprised her.

He took his time with the zipper, dragging it down her back at an agonizing pace. With every inch of newly exposed skin the zipper revealed, he pressed a kiss to her neck and shoulders; soft, loving kisses that set her body on fire. When the zipper reached the end of its path, he pressed a lingering kiss just behind her ear before trapping her earlobe between his teeth and gently worrying the sensitive skin. She gasped as he pulled her back against his body, his hands sliding up her chest as his mouth continued to explore her neck.

He dipped his hands into the front of her dress, caressing her breasts through her bra. She felt her nipples harden and tighten against his palms. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, softly chanting his name as he slowly worked his hands up from her breasts. He hooked his fingers under the shoulders of her dress and began to push the fabric down her arms.

Danny took a step back from her and she shivered from the loss of contact with his body. She felt a rush of cool air as her dress pooled around her feet, leaving her exposed, clad in only her thin, lacy bra, her panties previously discarded in the living room. She heard Danny's sharp intake of breath as he took in her appearance.

"God, you're so beautiful, sweetheart," he said appreciatively. She heard the rustle of fabric, and she turned to see him shrugging out of his jacket and shirt. She smiled as she let her eyes rake over his body, something she never seemed to tire of doing. His toned chest, his hard stomach, the fine line of fair hair that trailed down into his pants… pants that he was now pushing down his legs, his boxers following close behind. She trailed her eyes up his legs, his strong thighs, his slim hips. She licked her lips as she rested her gaze on his cock, hardened once again for her.

She smiled coyly at him, looking up at him through lowered lashes as her hands reached around behind her to unfasten her bra. Tossing it aside, she lowered herself onto the bed, arranging herself invitingly on top of the comforter and beckoning him to her with her finger.

He crawled up the bed, laying his body over hers and she felt his erection pressing against her stomach. He slowly began to grind his hips against hers while one hand dipped between her thighs, gliding easily over her clit. She moaned wantonly as he slid his fingers inside of her while his lips closed over her nipple. He sucked on the tender bud in his mouth, his fingers gently probing her, his thumb slowly circling her clit.

She fisted the bedding beneath her, sliding her legs against his, capturing his hips and locking her ankles around the small of his back. He shifted his attention from one breast to the other, his free hand replacing his mouth, his fingers mimicking the movements of his lips and tongue. He pulled back, gently blowing on her still-wet nipple before taking it between his teeth and biting down gently, causing her to moan and tangle her fingers in his hair. He slid down so that he could place warm, wet kisses to the underside of her breasts, sucking on her sensitive skin hard enough to leave small, red marks. Then he laved the marks with his tongue and she tightened her grip on his back with her legs.

"Baby, please," she whispered, biting her lip as Danny's thumb pressed more firmly against her clit. "Oh, God. Danny, make love to me, baby."

He gave her clit one final flick and withdrew his hand, pulling himself back up her body so that he was eye to eye with her. He gently stroked her cheek with his fingers, his lips brushing softly against hers. She raised her head, nipping at his lower lip and pulling it into her mouth, and he responded by shifting his body so that his erection pressed against her opening.

He pulled back, holding her gaze as he slid into her. She arched into his body, gasping with satisfaction as he filled her. He buried his face in her neck and she ran her fingers through his hair as he began to move his hips, his movements slow and languorous, letting her feel every inch of his arousal, of his love for her. She felt his lips on her neck and she gripped his shoulders tightly, hitching her legs further up his sides so that she could feel him more deeply.

He raised his head and kissed her as they moved together, their hips meeting with each thrust, her insides slowly tightening as the coil of desire within her neared its breaking point. He peppered her face with soft, loving kisses in time with the movement of their bodies. She gasped in pleasure as he alternated his rhythms; fast and hard, then slow and gentle. Aggressive then teasing, ensuring that he drew out the exquisite pleasure of the physical side of their love for as long as possible.

All too soon, she felt herself nearing the edge, her muscles beginning to contract involuntarily around him. He groaned longingly as she tightened around his aching cock. The sound of his voice, so rough and heavy with his arousal was all she needed, and she felt herself letting go. She called out to him, digging her fingers into the flesh of his shoulders as her world went white and stars formed in front of her eyes. Her body arched off the bed, pressing him deeper into her core.

"Danny! Oh, God!" she cried. "Oh, yes! Yes! Danny, yes!"

As she writhed beneath him, her muscles spasming uncontrollably within her, she felt Danny's body tense and he shouted her name before collapsing - exhausted - on top of her with his face buried against her shoulder.

"Oh, my God," she whispered, completely breathless. "Danny? Oh, honey. That was amazing." She kissed his shoulder, running her fingers through his hair. "You're so amazing, baby. I love you so much, Danny."

She felt warm lips on her neck, then he pushed himself up on his forearms and gazed down at her. He stroked her face lovingly, then placed a delicate kiss to her lips.

"I love you too, Linds," he said. "That was…" he paused, kissing her again while he tried to find the words, "…indescribable. So amazing, baby."

She loosened her grip on him and he carefully rolled off of her onto his side. He reached out and ran his hand down her body, letting it come to rest on her stomach.

"What are you thinking, sweetheart?" Lindsay asked, laying her own hand over his and interlacing their fingers.

"I'm thinking that… if it's okay with you," he gave her a cautious glance, "That… that maybe we could start… you know…" he raised his eyes and looked up at Flack's monument to the Baby Maker hanging from the wall.

"Really?" she asked. She bit her lip, not daring to believe that she had understood him correctly. "You want to try?"

He smiled at her, nodding his head. "I would love to," he said. "If you're ready."

She gave his fingers a squeeze before rolling onto her side and facing him.

"Danny, I would love nothing more than to have another baby with you."

He beamed at her, pulling her into his arms and holding her close.

"And until then, think of all the fun we'll have practicing," he said, earning himself a swat from his wife. He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "But seriously, Linds. I want you to really think about it, okay? Don't let me pressure you, because it's your body, honey." He pulled back and smiled at her. "Just know that whatever happens - if we get pregnant or we don't – you'll always be my lobster."

"You are such a dork," she giggled, caressing his face with the backs of her fingers.

"But?" he prompted her, a grin on his face.

"But you're my dork. And I love you."

"Love you too, baby," he said.

He helped her to wiggle under the blankets before he reached over and turned off the light. He settled onto his back, and Lindsay quickly nestled herself onto his chest. He stared into the darkness of the room, letting his eyes adjust to the dim light from the street seeping through their curtains. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips as the cowboy hat hanging from the wall above the bed came into focus. Finally, his eyelids began to droop and he drifted off to sleep, strange dreams of lobsters wearing cowboy hats running through his head.

**

* * *

So… thoughts?**

**I did try to get a little plot in here towards the end, as well as the Lucy/Flack time that so many people have been demanding. I hope it works together, and that you enjoyed it! **

**Wow. I just looked at the word count on this chapter, and I'm astounded. This is officially the longest chapter I think I've ever written... by a long shot!**

****Note: For those of you unfamiliar with Friends (do such people actually exist? Hmm…) the conversation about the lobsters comes from Phoebe, who informs the group that lobsters mate for life. She even goes on to point out that they frequently hold claws, which (BTW) is where I have some trouble believing the veracity of her story. But I thought it was sweet, and I just couldn't resist!**


	35. First Impressions, Lasting Memories

**A/N: Hey guys! Wow, it's been a while, huh? I am sorry about keeping you waiting (once again) for an update from this story. It just seems that my muse has other ideas at the moment, and I've struggled with getting my head back into High School Daze mode. But the wait is finally over and I have an update for you all! Yay!**

**As usual, I have to say an enormous thank you to those of you who were kind enough to leave a review for the last chapter. Wow. Just… wow. The response from you all was mind-blowing, and I really appreciate the time that was taken to give me a few words of encouragement! I'm glad you enjoyed the smut, the romance, and seeing Flack getting himself - yet again - into a compromising situation. ;)  
**

**Now, on to the important stuff… please enjoy Chapter 35!**

* * *

"Wow. Something smells good," Susie said as she and Lindsay walked through the front door of the Messer's apartment. Lindsay inhaled deeply, smiling at the delicious and unmistakable aroma of Danny's lasagna.

"Mmm. Sure does," she agreed as she shrugged off her jacket and hung it up in the hall closet. "Hey, baby. We're home," she called out to Danny.

"In here," he replied from in the kitchen.

"Make yourself at home, Susie," Lindsay said to her friend. "I'm just going to see if Dan needs any help before everyone gets here."

"Sure thing," Susie replied, making her way into the living room. "Hey, cutie pie," she said to Lucy as she bent down and picked up the little girl from her play pen. "How're you doing?"

"See-see!" Lucy said, grinning up at her new friend from the night before. Lindsay smiled as Susie plopped herself down on the floor with Lucy on her lap, the two of them quickly absorbed in their own little world. Turning, she moved into the kitchen where her husband was working at getting dinner ready. She stood in the doorway, taking a moment to simply admire him. His feet were bare and he had on a pair of old, faded jeans that clung to his backside perfectly. And then there was his shirt. He was wearing the green t-shirt that she loved so much.

"Hey, babe," he said, smiling at her over his shoulder as he chopped vegetables for the salad. "How was your day?"

"Long," Lindsay replied as she walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his waist, placing a soft kiss between his shoulder blades. "But over. How was yours?"

"Meh. Same old, same old," he replied, leaning back slightly into her embrace. "I got my new phone from Mac, to replace the one I lost on the ferry."

"Oh, yeah? How is it?"

"I hate it already," he chuckled. "It's too confusing. I missed three calls this morning just trying to figure out how to answer the damn thing."

"Poor baby," Lindsay murmured. "So cute, but so technologically challenged."

"Shut up," Danny laughed. "What time is everyone getting here?"

It was Susie's last night in New York, and Lindsay had asked her friend what she wanted to do before she headed back to Colorado. Susie had said that she would love to have a chance to get to know Lindsay's friends a bit better. So, Lindsay had talked to Danny about it while the two of them had a quick moment alone in their office, and Danny had suggested having everyone over to their place. He even volunteered to cook, seeing as his shift was over earlier than hers.

"Around seven-thirty, I think," Lindsay replied, nuzzling her face into his back while her hands slid under the front of his shirt, tracing soft patterns on his stomach.

"Stop it, Linds," Danny chuckled, trying to wiggle away from her fingers. "You're gonna make me cut myself."

"Then put the knife down, baby," Lindsay said, tightening her arms around him. "I barely saw you all day. And I haven't even had a chance to thank you for your amazing performance last night. That hardly seems fair."

"Babe, come on," he said, and she could hear the smile in his voice. "I gotta get this done."

"Five minutes," Lindsay pouted, grazing her lips across the exposed skin at the nape of his neck. "Please, baby? I just wanna say hello to you properly. I promise I'll help you after."

Danny let out a sigh, and Lindsay knew she had won when he set the knife down and turned in her arms. He smiled down at her before leaning in and pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Hi."

"Hi," she said. She leaned into him as he snaked his arms around her, holding her close, his cheek resting on the top of her head. She sighed contentedly as Danny gently rubbed her back. "Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"I've been thinking," she started, "About what we talked about last night."

"Oh, yeah?" he asked. "What about it?"

"Were… were you serious?" She pulled back and looked up at him, watching his face closely. "Do you really want to have another baby?"

"I do, Linds," he said softly. "I really do. I think it's a good time for us, you know? Lucy's old enough, and we finally paid off all the medical bills from when Lucy was born and from when I was in the hospital. Plus," he paused, gently skimming his fingers over her cheek, a light blush creeping up his own face, "I loved seeing you pregnant, honey. But I meant what I said. It's your decision, Linds. It's your body, not mine." He smiled as he stroked her hair, pulling her closer and pressing his lips against her forehead. "If you're not ready, or if… if you just don't want to, then I'll be behind you 100 percent."

She chewed on her lip as she gazed up at her husband, his blue eyes filled with sincerity. She knew he would be disappointed if she said no, that she wasn't ready. But she also knew that he would be true to his word; that he wouldn't hold it against her and he would support her. She thought about what he had said. Despite her initial declaration that Lucy would be an only child, made mere moments after she'd given birth to their little girl, Lindsay had found herself thinking about having another baby for some time now. Her mother's none-to-subtle hints notwithstanding, she was sure it was something she wanted. What she wasn't sure about was the morning sickness, the stretch-marks, the bloating, and the nine months spent feeling as though her body was no longer her own.

But it was only nine months, right? She thought back to the time she had been pregnant with Lucy and how she had loved the intense closeness she had felt with her unborn child; feeling her kick, seeing the blurry images and listening to her heartbeat on the ultrasound. She remembered the way Danny's eyes had lit up and the excited smile that had spread across his face the first time that he had felt Lucy move. From that moment on, he'd had his hand practically glued to her stomach, not wanting to miss a thing, wanting to be a part of the special connection that Lindsay shared with their baby. She realized in that moment that she missed that feeling, and there was really only one way to get it back.

The corners of her lips crept upwards and she gave Danny a small nod. It was almost imperceptible, but it was all he needed to know what she was trying to tell him. A million-watt smile broke out across his face and he beamed down at her with wide, incredulous eyes.

"Really?" he asked, barely daring to believe her. "You mean it? Really?"

She smiled back at him, nodding her head more vigorously now and she let out a shriek of laughter as Danny picked her up and twirled her around the kitchen while peppering her face with kisses.

"Oh, my God!" he exclaimed as he set her back down on the ground. He cupped her face in his hands and pressed a series of soft, loving kisses to her lips. "You have no idea how happy you just made me!"

"Danny!" she giggled between his kisses. "Danny, stop! What about dinner?"

"Fuck dinner," he laughed. "Let 'em starve."

"Danny!" she scolded him as she swatted at his chest. "Baby, come on!"

"What's all the ruckus about?"

Lindsay turned at the sound of Susie's voice from the doorway of the kitchen. She smiled shyly at her friend, who stood holding Lucy in her arms, a bemused expression on her face.

"It's um…" Lindsay said, glancing up at Danny for a little help. They had only just decided themselves, and she wasn't sure if this was something they should be telling everyone else about until they actually had some positive news to share. "We… uh…"

"We just decided to have garlic bread with our lasagna," Danny said, wrapping his arms around Lindsay's waist, his hands coming to rest on her belly. "And we're really excited about it."

"Oookay," Susie said, eyeing them warily. "You guys really are just as weird as Flack says you are."

She shook her head at the pair of them and then turned back into the living room. Lindsay rolled her eyes at her husband who was staring down at her with a ridiculous grin plastered across his face.

"Really, Dan?" she giggled, turning in his arms and pressing a kiss to his chin. "Garlic bread?"

"What? I like garlic bread."

"You're such a weirdo, you know that?"

His grin widened as he gave her a tight squeeze before releasing her and turning back to the vegetables on the counter. Lindsay stepped up to the counter beside him, grabbing a bowl from the cupboard and loading it up with the ingredients for the salad.

"Dan?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Do we even have any garlic bread?"

"Um…" Danny said, scanning his eyes around the kitchen. "No."

"Dork," Lindsay giggled. "I'll call Flack and ask him to pick some up."

* * *

Just as Lindsay set the salad bowl on the table, she heard a knock at the door.

"I got it," Danny shouted from the kitchen. Lindsay listened as he opened the door and greeted their guest. "Hey, Hawkes. Come on in."

Lindsay wandered into the living room to see Hawkes taking off his coat after handing Danny a large, brown paper bag. "Here you go, Dan," he said. "Good as new, as requested."

Danny peered into the bag, a wide smile on his face. "Wow! Thanks, Doc," he said, clapping Hawkes warmly on the shoulder. "I owe you one. He looks great."

Danny turned, grinning at Lindsay as he rummaged around in the bag. "Hey, Luce," he said. "Look what Uncle Sheldon brought for you, baby." He crouched down beside Susie and Lucy on the floor, pulling a familiar figure out of the bag.

"Tee-Bah!" Lucy bellowed, her face alight with glee at seeing her bear. "Tee-Bah! Dada! Yoo-see Tee-Bah!" She scrambled off of Susie's lap and grabbed the bear from Danny's hands, holding him tightly in her arms. Lindsay felt herself choking up a bit at Lucy's long-awaited reunion with her bear. She could see the joy on not only Lucy's face, but Danny's as well. The bear had been his as a child, after all, and she knew that being able to pass his own beloved toy onto his daughter meant the world to him. Lindsay bent down, stroking Lucy's head and smiling as her little girl held the bear up for her to admire.

"Mama! Tee-Bah!"

"I see, sweetie," she said. "Can you say thank you to Uncle Sheldon for making Tee-Bah all better?"

Hawkes moved into the living room, sitting down on the edge of the coffee table to look down at his handiwork. The bear looked battered and careworn, as always. But there was something different. Hawkes knew that Danny had had to take him away from Lucy the other night because he'd gotten some blood on him during the altercation on the ferry. After taking samples from the bear's fur, Hawkes had handed him back over to Danny, who had tried in vain to get the stain out. But the toy was too old and threadbare to tolerate the good, hard wash he'd needed. Seeing how heartbroken Danny was about possibly having to retire his daughter's favourite toy, Hawkes had approached him and asked if he would mind if Tee-Bah underwent a little cosmetic surgery.

So now, where there had once been an ugly stain marring the bear's matted fur, there was a large, red heart neatly stitched onto his side. He smiled as Lucy looked up at him, a huge smile on her face.

"Tank yoo," she said, hugging her bear fiercely. "My Tee-Bah."

"Aw, you're welcome, Lucy," he said. He felt a hand on his shoulder and he looked up to see Lindsay smiling down at him. She bent and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.

"Thank you, Sheldon," she whispered. "So much. You have no idea how much that bear means to her. And to Danny."

He felt his cheeks flushing with heat at her gratitude, and he waived it off. "It's nothing, Lindsay," he said. "Just a few stitches. I'm happy to help."

The rest of the team arrived shortly thereafter, and soon they were all crowded around the dining room table, elbow to elbow as Danny dished out the lasagna while Lindsay cut up the garlic bread Flack had picked up at the last minute. She handed the basket of bread to Susie, who rolled her eyes at the contents of the basket before taking a slice and passing it off to Mac who was seated beside her.

"This better be the best garlic bread in the whole world," she said to Lindsay, who simply blushed and took her seat beside Danny.

"What's that?" Flack asked.

"It's nothing, Don," Lindsay interjected before Susie could say anything. "Can you pass the salad?"

Susie eyed her from across the table before taking a cautious bite of the bread. "Hmm. Not bad," she said.

"Thanks," Flack said. "I made it myself."

"Yeah, right," Danny scoffed as he passed Stella a heaping plateful of pasta. "If by made you mean bought…"

"Bought. Made. Same difference," Flack replied, shrugging his shoulders.

"Says the guy that can't even boil water," Danny retorted, grinning at his friend.

"Well we can't all be Iron Chefs, Messer," Flack said.

"Oh, my God," Susie said, her mouth full of lasagna. "Danny, you made this?" He nodded his head, taking his seat after giving himself a heaping portion of lasagna. "Holy crap. This is so freaking good! Why can't men in Denver cook like this?"

"It's not just Denver, Susie," Stella informed her. "I don't know any guy that cooks as good as our Danny." She winked at Danny, who blushed slightly at the compliment.

"It's nothing, really," he demurred. "Just following my Ma's recipe."

"Well, it's damn good," Susie said. "Thanks Danny. I know I said I wanted to have dinner with all of you before going home, but I didn't expect this. This is awesome. I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

"Nah, it's no problem," Danny said. "Besides, no trip to New York is complete without trying some authentic Italian home-cooking."

"Mmm. This really is good, Danny," Mac agreed, having cleared his plate in record time. "Wow. I thought you were kidding when you said you had skills in the kitchen." He grinned at Danny, remembering a case several years before when Danny had jokingly alluded to using his baking skills to crack a case. "Is there enough for seconds?"

Danny chuckled, nodding his head. "Sure thing, Mac. Help yourself."

Others soon followed Mac's lead, helping themselves to more until soon there were only a few scraps of food left on the table.

Adam leaned back in his chair, patting his fully belly. "Holy crap," he muttered. "I ate way too much."

"Ugh. Me too," Flack said, popping the top button on his jeans.

"Oh, God. Don! That's disgusting!" Stella said, balling up her napkin and tossing it at him.

"What?" Flack said, tossing her napkin back at her. "It's a compliment to the chef."

"It's gross," she said. "Do your pants back up and go do the dishes."

"What? Why do I have to go do the dishes?" Flack demanded.

"Well, Danny cooked, so he can't do them," Susie pointed out.

"Yeah, well that still leaves the rest of you," Flack pointed out. "Why do I gotta be the one to do them?"

"Because if you don't," Stella said, leaning in so she could whisper in Flack's ear, "I might have to print up a picture that I may or may not have taken the other night of a certain detective with a very questionable hairstyle and post it in the bullpen down at the precinct."

Flack visibly blanched at her words, but soon shook it off. "You're lying," he said, eyeing her suspiciously. "You didn't take a picture."

"Maybe I did… maybe I didn't. There's really only one way to find out," Stella said evasively, giving Susie a knowing wink from across the table. Flack crossed his arms over his chest, jutting his chin out and obstinately refusing to get up and do the dishes. "Fine," Stella said casually. "Don't do them, and let's just see what happens."

"I wouldn't worry too much," Susie teased. "Pink was a good colour for you. Very manly."

"You two are nothing but a couple of bullies," Flack said, pushing himself away from the table and beginning to gather the dishes. Lindsay gave Stella and Susie quizzical looks, and Stella grinned at her, mouthing the words _I'll tell you later_ at her friend.

* * *

"No way, Lindsay!" Susie said, grinning across the living room at her friend. "You're not getting out of this. You said that we could do whatever I wanted tonight, and I want to hear about you… I wanna get all the dirt, hear all the embarrassing stories. I wanna know how you got from being Lindsay Monroe from Bozeman to Lindsay Messer from New York."

"That's not what I meant, Susie. And you know it," Lindsay said, letting out a resigned sigh as she settled herself back down in the armchair with Danny. Lucy had been put to bed and the dishes had been done in record time - Mac having helpfully volunteered Hawkes and Adam to assist Flack in cleaning up the kitchen - and now the group was gathered in the living room. "I meant that you could pick a game for us to play, or a movie for us to watch."

"Well then you should have been more specific," Susie said, grinning at Lindsay. "You'll learn when Lucy gets older that you have to qualify your promises."

"Danny!" Lindsay whined, turning to her husband and giving him her best puppy dog eyes. "Make her stop!"

"And why would I want to do that?" he asked, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "You're my favourite topic, babe."

Realizing that she wasn't getting any help from her husband, Lindsay huffed, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Susie. "Fine. Let's get it over with."

"Oh, come on, Linds!" Stella chided her. "It's not like we're going to say anything bad about you. You know we love you."

Lindsay smiled at Stella before elbowing Danny hard in the ribs.

"Ow! Jesus, what was that for?"

"How come you didn't say something sweet like that, you big jerk?" Lindsay teased. "You're supposed to love me more than anyone else here."

"Jeez. I said you were my favourite topic," Danny muttered to himself as he rubbed his ribs. "But seriously, babe. What are you so worried about? It's not like anyone here could say anything bad about you, even if they wanted to. You're perfect."

Lindsay grinned at him, snuggling into his side and kissing his cheek. "That's more like it," she said.

"Alright, so," Susie said, rubbing her hands together, "Who's going to go first?" When no one immediately volunteered, Susie decided to pick someone at random. "Flack. What were your first impressions of Linds?"

"Who, me?" he asked. "Well… I guess I thought she was cute. Smart. Wicked sense of humour. Never saw anybody put Messer in his place the way she did." He grinned at Danny who responded with a highly inappropriate hand gesture. "I actually thought about asking her out, but Danny made it pretty clear that she was strictly off-limits. He marked his territory where Lindsay was concerned pretty early on."

"Oh, did he, now?" Susie asked, raising her eyebrows and turning to look at Danny who was glaring murderously at his best friend.

"He sure did," Hawkes said, joining in the conversation. "I mean it was either a very brave or a very stupid man at our lab that attempted to get past Danny to make a pass at the lovely Miss Monroe."

"You guys are so dead," Danny grumbled. "You make it sound like I was some kind of animal or something."

"Well, if the shoe fits…" Flack said, ducking to avoid the pillow Danny chucked at his head.

"Where was I when all this was going on?" Lindsay mused out loud. "I had no idea... you mean all the time there were other guys interested in me, and now I'm stuck with him?" she said, jabbing her thumb in Danny's direction. "Man, if I'd known I had other options…"

She turned to face Danny who was staring back at her with a wounded expression on his face. "Oh, baby. I'm kidding!" She cupped his face in her hands, leaning in to kiss him. He tried to pull away, still pouting, but she held firm and gently rubbed her nose against his. "I'm sorry, honey. I was only teasing. You know I love you."

"Sure got a funny way of showing it," Danny huffed. Lindsay smiled at him, leaning in toward him again. This time he didn't try to resist and she kissed him softly on the lips.

"I love you, babe."

"Yeah, whatever," he grumbled, but there was a small smile playing on the corners of his lips. "Love you too."

"So, Mac," Susie said, trying to steer the conversation back to the original topic, "What was your first impression of Lindsay?"

"Well, aside from the fact that she called me sir when we first met," he said, winking at Lindsay, who blushed and hid her face in Danny's neck, "I thought she was a very skilled and diligent investigator. And she impressed the pants off of me when she took down a suspect three times her size on her first day. Had me wondering what they feed you girls out in Montana."

"I remember thinking that she was a very sweet girl," Stella said, adding her thoughts to the conversation. "A little out of her element at first, but that didn't last long. Despite the fact that she looked like a cute little country girl, I realized pretty early on that she had balls, and she wasn't afraid to get down and dirty when the job called for it. She fit in right away, and I found myself wondering how we ever got along without her."

"And there's her demonstrations," Adam added. "I never saw anybody get so excited about giving a demonstration before."

"What do you mean?" Susie asked. "What demonstrations?"

"Well, there's always something. That one clue that breaks a case, you know?" Danny explained. "And for most of us, it's like, _'Here's this thing I found. This is why it's important'_. But not Linds," he shook his head. "With her, there's always a little story to go along with it, and she gets into it, too. She gets so excited, it's actually infectious." He winked at his wife and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I never enjoyed listening to demonstrations until Lindsay came along."

"Then there's her thing for bugs," Hawkes said. "We can't forget about that."

"Okay, seriously," Lindsay said, rolling her eyes. "Can't you guys let that go, already? I mean, it was one time! So I ate a few bugs. So what? Danny ate them too, and no one gave him a hard time."

"Oh, gross! You ate bugs?" Susie grimaced. "That's disgusting. What were you thinking?"

"What? They're just protein," Lindsay said, defending herself. "Besides, they were actually pretty good, weren't they babe."

"I just ate 'em because you were eating them," Danny said, grinning at her. "I was so sick when I got home that night."

Lindsay narrowed her eyes at him. "You were the one that brought them to the lab. It was all your idea."

"I only did that because Mac bet me you would eat them, and I said that there was no way in hell you'd ever put anything that disgusting in your mouth."

"You guys are so mean… picking on the new girl."

"Oh, please. We hardly picked on you," Stella said.

"Yes you did! I had to do all the gross jobs nobody wanted like dig through tiger crap, sort through dumpsters and wade in a giant pool of lube, and all because I was the new kid."

"Yeah, those were some good times," Mac teased.

"What about you, Danny," Susie asked. "What were your first thoughts when you met Lindsay? Was it love at first sight?"

Danny grinned at her before turning to Lindsay and gazing thoughtfully at her.

"Love at first sight?" he mused. "I don't know about that. Lust, definitely. She was pretty cute that first day… still is actually." He stroked his wife's face and kissed the tip of her nose. "Actually, I decided before I even met her that I wasn't gonna like her." At Susie's questioning glance, he explained. "See, Mac hired her to replace one of my best friends. So I'm thinking it's my duty to Aiden to make life miserable for whoever shows up to take her place. Well, that worked for about a day, and then I realized that Linds wasn't gonna take any of my bullshit, and she wasn't afraid to give just as good as she got. So I settled for pulling her pigtails, as the saying goes."

"Sid told me you had a crush on me," Lindsay giggled. "I thought he was full of crap, but then I started to put the pieces together, and I realized that he was right. And that I had a crush right back on you."

"You know, for someone who spends all his time with dead bodies, he's surprisingly intuitive," Danny mused.

"I'm pretty sure I would have figured it out eventually on my own though," Lindsay said. "I mean, it's not like you were exactly subtle, babe."

"Whatever. It worked, didn't it?"

"Mmm," Lindsay agreed, leaning in and pecking him on the lips. "I was powerless against your charms."

"I can't help but feel like you're making fun of me," Danny said, narrowing his eyes at her.

"Who me?" Lindsay asked, her face a picture of pure innocence. "Never."

"Didn't I tell you they were weird?"

Susie looked over at Flack and grinned. "You sure did. And they sure are," she agreed. "But it's cute."

"So," Lindsay said, turning her attention from her husband back to the assembled group in her living room. "What now? Are we done playing Pick-on-Lindsay?"

"Well, I don't know…" Susie teased. "It's been so much fun, and you've been such a good sport. I'm sure there's so much more I need to hear…" Susie grinned at the warning look on Lindsay's face. "Kidding. I'm kidding, Linds. Actually, I think I am going to have to call it a night. It's getting late and I've got an early flight tomorrow morning. I still have to pack and get my beauty sleep."

"Oh, no!" Lindsay said, her disappointment evident in her voice. "You don't have to go just yet, do you?"

"I'm afraid so," Susie said.

"You want a ride back to your hotel?" Stella asked. "It's on my way home and I'd be happy to drop you off."

"That would be great, Stella. Thank you."

Lindsay pushed herself up from where she had been cuddled up with Danny. She extended her hand to help pull Susie to her feet and she could feel hot tears behind her eyes at the prospect of saying goodbye to her friend. Susie gave her a warm smile and pulled her into a tight embrace.

"Oh, Linds. I'm going to miss you so much," she whispered. "You have no idea. It's meant so much to me to have you back in my life. You and your family." She pulled back, staring back at Lindsay with tears glistening in her own eyes. "Thank you so much for everything. I've had the best time, and I promise you that you haven't seen the last of me, okay? You can't get rid of me that easily."

"As if I'd want to," Lindsay said, giving Susie a watery smile. "And I promise that we'll make our way to Denver soon, okay? I want to meet those little boys of yours."

"You got it, Linds. Anytime."

"God, I hate goodbyes," Lindsay sniffed, wiping at her eyes as she stepped back from Susie's embrace.

"Well, don't think of it as goodbye," Susie suggested. "Think of it as see you soon. It's easier that way."

"Okay. Then I guess I'll see you soon," Lindsay said before turning to Danny and burying her face in his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around her and rubbed her back soothingly, whispering comforting words in her ear as she sobbed quietly to herself.

"It was nice to meet you, Susie," Mac said, extending his hand for her to shake.

"You too, Mac," she said. "And can I just say that I wish that my boss was half as cool as you?"

"Well, I try," he replied, grinning at her as he let go of her hand. "Have a safe flight, and drop by the lab if you're ever in the city again, okay?"

She smiled at him and nodded her head before saying brief farewells to Hawkes and Adam. Then she turned to Flack.

"Well, I wish I could say it's been nice knowing you, Don," she said, grinning as his face fell. "I'm kidding," she laughed, pulling him into a tight hug. "You ever find yourself in Denver, you look me up, alright? I'll show you a good time in the mile-high city."

Flack blushed bright red as he stepped back out of her arms and Danny nudged him playfully in the side with his elbow.

"I'll see you tomorrow morning, alright, Susie?" he said, untangling himself momentarily from his wife and stepping forward to give her a quick hug. "Six-thirty, right?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Danny," she said. "You know you don't have to give me a ride though, right? I could just take a cab."

"Uh huh. Like I'm gonna let that happen," Danny replied. "Now, your luggage will fit on the back of my Harley, right?" She stared back at him with a look of pure horror on her face.

"What? No! Danny, I… I've got like, a huge suitcase, and then there's my carry-on…"

"I'm teasing you, Susie," he said, grinning down at her. "I borrowed a truck from the lab, so there will be lots of room for you and all your stuff. Don't worry about it."

Susie breathed a sigh of relief, smiling as Danny helped her into her jacket. "Thanks again, you guys. Really, you've all been so wonderful to me."

"Hey, it's our pleasure, kiddo," Stella said as she stepped into her shoes and zipped up her coat. "Any friend of Lindsay's is a friend of ours. You know you're always welcome. Oh, and next time you come, you're not staying in a hotel. I've got a spare bedroom with your name on it, okay?"

"Thanks, Stella." Susie smiled at the group assembled around the Messer's front entrance, taking one last look at the people who had become such a huge part in her friend's life. She reached out and pulled Lindsay in for another quick hug before she waved goodbye and stepped out into the hallway with Stella.

**

* * *

*Sniffs***

**Is it wrong that I don't want Susie to go? *Sigh* I think one of the main reasons I've been stalling on writing this story is that I knew we were closing in on having to say goodbye to Susie, and I just didn't want to let her go. But go she must. Have no fear, though. I have a sneaking suspicion that we haven't seen the last of her!**

**Oh, and can I just say this... Tee-Bah's back! Yay! *does a little dance* **

**See, Dine89? I told you he was coming back... jeez. And you made me feel like such a villain for taking him away in the first place ;) I hope his reunion with Lucy was everything you hoped for!  
**

**Thanks for reading, and again, please feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you thought!**


	36. The Naked Truth

**A/N: Don't freak out. It's only me, finally updating this story. I apologize for the delay, but those of you who have been following my other stories will know I've been busy. But the muse has finally granted me an idea for this story, and I'm glad to finally be able to share it with you!**

**Thank you for all the lovely reviews - and the PM (you know who you are!). Once again, totally blown away by the continual showering of love and support for this story. I can't believe we're nearing 40 chapters (and 300 reviews to boot!) here with no end in sight. Keep the love coming, people and I'll keep this story going as long as I can! **

**A note on this chapter: While I was wallowing in self-pity for not being able to come up with a single idea for the next chapter of HSD, I decided I needed some distraction. Let's just say that you can blame _S*&% My Dad Says _and _The Big Bang Theory _for inspiring this next two-chapter arc, the second of which is already written and is awaiting release into the wilds of FanFicdom at a later date. It all depends on how evil I feel like being, and whether I feel like making you suffer. Mwa ha ha! **

**So, enough of my little power trip. Onward and upward with Chapter 36!**

* * *

"I just want to make sure we're clear here, Messer," Flack grumbled as the two of them climbed the front steps to Danny and Lindsay's apartment building, "I let you win."

"Riiiight," Danny said, grinning at his friend as he held the front door open for him. "Sure you did. You keep telling yourself that pal."

"I will, thank you very much," Flack said as he and Danny walked toward the elevator that would lead them up to the fifth floor. "Because it's true."

It was a beautiful, crisp day and the two of them had decided to make the most of it and spend the day outside. It was a rare occasion that they both had a day off together, and while Lindsay was at work and Lucy was spending the day with her grandparents, Danny had suggested that they do something that they hadn't had a chance to do in a long time. So he and Flack had met up at the athletic centre a few blocks away for a game of basketball. A game in which Danny had thoroughly wiped the floor with Flack.

"You're just mad because I'm shorter than you, and I still managed to school your sorry ass on the court."

"Whatever. I felt sorry for you. Having to always crane your neck to look up at everyone. I thought I'd be a good friend and give you a bit of an ego boost, you know? Let you feel like the big man for a change."

"Oh, well, in that case, let me express my gratitude," Danny remarked as they approached his apartment door, promptly cuffing Flack up the side of the head.

"Ow!" Flack rubbed his head, giving Danny a wounded look. "Jeez. You little people sure have nasty tempers. I'm impressed though. You didn't even have to stand on a chair to reach me this time. You got your platform shoes on today or something?"

"Fuck you," Danny laughed as he entered the apartment, kicking off his sneakers and stowing the basketball away in the hall closet. "I am not that short. You've only got, what, four inches on me? I'm average height."

"Average for a midget, maybe," Flack quipped, grinning back at Danny's withering glare. "And four inches? Please. I'm 6'4". And there is no way in hell that you are six feet tall. Maybe if you were standing on a ladder or something…"

"You know what? I'm going to assume that this personal attack on my stature all boils down to you being a sore loser," Danny said loftily, "So I'm gonna take the high road and let it slide. This time."

He wandered into the kitchen to grab two bottles of water from the fridge, tossing one to Flack before he cracked the top on his own and downed it thirstily. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and tossed the empty bottle onto the kitchen counter, to be recycled later.

"Alright. I'm gonna jump in the shower," he said. "Got plans with Linds tonight, and I don't wanna be smelling like a dirty gym sock."

"Why not? Probably better than your usual odor," Flack remarked, giving Danny a look of wide-eyed innocence as he sipped at his water.

"What the hell is your problem today?" Danny asked, cocking his head to the side and giving his friend a quizzical look.

"Oh, come on, Danny, don't get all defensive. We used to do this all the time; I'd say something offensive about you, you'd throw something back at me that was even worse, we'd go back and forth…" Flack sighed, flopping down on the couch. "Don't you… don't you ever miss that?"

"Miss being verbally abused by you?" Danny asked, crossing his arms over his chest, albeit with a small smile on his face. "Not really. Can't say that I do."

"No. Not that," Flack mumbled, his fingers tearing absently at the label of his water bottle. "Just… this. You and me, just hanging out." He looked up at Danny. "How long's it been, man?"

"Don, you're over here all the time."

"Yeah, I know. But that's different."

"How's it different?"

"Look, you know what?" Flack said, shaking his head and pushing himself to his feet. "Never mind. I shouldn't have brought it up."

"No. Wait," Danny replied, pushing Flack back down on the couch and sitting down on the edge of the coffee table. "How's it different?"

Flack shrugged his shoulders, refusing to look up and meet Danny's gaze.

"Come on, Don. Talk to me," Danny pleaded. "What's going on? Is it because… you don't like hanging around with me and Linds? Is that it?"

"No! It's not that, it's…" he sighed, looking up at Danny and finding his blue eyes flashing with something very close to anger. "Lindsay is awesome. You two together are awesome, alright. It's not that. I love hanging around with you guys. It's just... Look, I know you've got a whole new set of priorities in your life now that you got a family. I appreciate that, I really do. I'm really proud of you for stepping up and becoming that guy who puts his family before everything else."

"But…" Danny prompted.

"But… I've been your best friend for almost ten years, Dan. Can you even remember the last time we went out for a beer together? Just you and me?"

"Honestly? No. I can't." Danny sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, Don. I didn't realize…"

"Hey, man. Not your fault," Flack assured him. "It's just something that happens, you know? You're still my best friend, Danny. And like I said, I love hanging out with you and Linds. And you know I'd do anything for Lucy. But I would like it if we could do stuff together more often. Just like old times."

"Alright. Just like old times," Danny reaffirmed. He reached over and clapped Flack's shoulder before giving him a sly grin. "You know, for someone who was giving me such a hard time earlier, thinking you're such a big man and all… you really are just a whiny little girl, aren't you?"

"I may be a little girl," Flack grinned. "But I'm still taller than you, shorty."

Smiling, Danny stood and made as if to head to the bathroom for his shower, but then he stopped. "Shit! Flack, what time is it?" he asked.

"Uh… quarter to five. Why?"

"Crap. I promised Linds I'd pick up the dry-cleaning, and the place closes at five. Shit!"

"Alright, Susie Homemaker. Calm down," Flack said. "You still got 15 minutes to go get your stuff. I'll hold down the fort here until you get back."

"You sure?" Danny asked, and Flack nodded his head.

"No problem," he replied, pushing himself up off the couch while Danny shoved his feet back into his recently discarded sneakers and grabbed his wallet and keys from the table beside the door. "You mind if I use your shower? I'm kind of tired of smelling like a gym sock myself."

"Nah, help yourself," Danny said as he stepped out into the hall. "I'll be back in about half an hour."

"Alright. Oh, hey, Danno!" Flack called out just as Danny began to pull the door closed behind himself. He poked his head back into the apartment, giving Flack and expectant look. "While you're out, you mind bringing back some pizza? I'm fucking starving."

Danny rolled his eyes at his friend. "Anything else I can bring back for you, your majesty?"

Flack looked thoughtful for a moment, then shook his head. "Nah. Pizza's good. Thanks."

"Fucking mooch," he heard Danny mutter as he closed the door behind himself. Flack smiled to himself, then grabbed his department-issued gym bag from where he had left it by the front door and made his way to the bathroom to get cleaned up.

* * *

Lindsay could feel the nervous excitement beginning to build in the pit of her stomach. Tonight was going to be the night. The night she and Danny really began trying for another baby. She'd stopped taking her birth control the day she and Danny had decided that this was something that they both wanted. Her doctor had advised them that the medication could still linger in her system for up to two weeks after her last dose, and that although it wouldn't hurt them to try, they really shouldn't get their hopes up until they had passed the two week threshold.

Lindsay smiled to herself as she walked up the front steps to her apartment building. The doctor's word of advice hadn't stopped them from, as Danny called it, practicing – vigorously and frequently – over the past two weeks. But something felt special about tonight. It wasn't just the thought of sex which had her feeling all giddy and excited. With Lucy, they had been caught unawares. They hadn't made a plan. They hadn't even sat down and talked about whether children was something that they both really wanted. And when Lindsay had found out she was pregnant, she had been terrified of Danny's reaction. Would he leave her? Would he blame her? She realized now that she had been blatantly unfair to him at that time, but she put it down to a combination of stress and hormones. She now knew, especially after Danny's confession a few weeks ago atop the Empire State Building, that he had felt more deeply for her back then than she had ever known.

She glanced at her watch. 4:45. Having wrapped up the case she and Hawkes had been working on, Mac had smiled at the pair of them, then told them to take the rest of the day to make up for the hours of overtime they'd each put in over the past few days while working to bring their killer to justice. She knew Danny wasn't expecting her home for several hours, but she thought she might surprise him and get an early start to the evening's activities.

She contemplated taking the stairs, but decided against it, wanting to save all of her energy for Danny. A small smile played on her lips while she waited for the elevator to come. When it arrived, she stepped inside, pressing the button for her floor. As the doors slid closed, she heard the sound of someone thumping loudly down the stairs, obviously in a hurry.

The elevator ride was quick, and soon she was standing in the hallway outside their apartment. Opening her front door, she stepped inside.

"Baby? I'm home!"

Getting no response, she toed off her shoes and threw her jacket onto her hook by the door. Moving deeper inside, a wide smile broke out on her face when she heard the distinctive sound of the water running in the shower. Images flashed through her mind of her husband, his hard body glistening as he lathered himself up. Not needing any further encouragement, Lindsay pulled her top off, tossing it to the floor in the living room. The rest of her clothing was similarly discarded as she made her way to the bathroom. She quietly opened the door, her senses immediately bombarded with the delicious aroma of Danny's shower gel and shampoo mingled with the steamy wetness from the shower.

She tiptoed across the bathroom, being careful not to trip over Danny's NYPD gym bag that was lying in the middle of the floor. She smiled seductively, reaching out her hand and snapping back the shower curtain.

"Hey, cowboy. Were you a dirty boy today…"

"Ahhh! Lindsay! What the…"

"Ohmygod. Ohmygod. Ohmygod," Lindsay panicked, realizing that the man standing in front of her was not her husband. She and Flack stared back at one another for a moment, both of them frozen in place, startled by the unexpected presence of the other. "Ohmygod, Don. I'm so sorry. I didn't… I thought… you're not Danny."

"No, I'm not!" Flack shouted, reaching for something – anything – to cover himself. His hand fell upon a fluffy pink shower pouf, and he held it in front of his nether regions, blushing furiously.

Lindsay was horrified. Her husband's best friend – hell, one of her best friends – was standing buck naked in front of her. She averted her eyes, casting her gaze down to the floor. It was then that the full impact of the situation hit her. He wasn't the only naked person in the room.

"Shit!" She grabbed a towel from the rack on the wall, wrapping it tightly around herself before turning and running from the bathroom and down the hall, slamming her bedroom door behind her.

* * *

Danny fumbled with the front door, balancing Flack's pizza in one hand, while the hanger holding their dry cleaning was secured between his teeth. Finally, the door swung open and he stumbled inside, kicking it closed behind him. He dropped his keys and wallet on the table and set the pizza down on the kitchen counter. He removed the hanger from his mouth and was about to head down the hall to hang it up when he noticed a very familiar article of clothing hanging off the back of the armchair. He picked it up, a wide smile on his face as he recognized it as the shirt Lindsay had worn to work that morning. She was home. He looked down, his smile widening as he followed the trail of clothes, each item becoming more and more intimate and his general state of arousal increasing exponentially when he saw her panties lying in the middle of the hall.

The bedroom door was closed, and his heart rate increased as he thought of what possible surprise his wife had for him behind that door. Reaching out, he twisted the knob and pushed, stepping into the dimly lit room. What he saw was not exactly what he'd had in mind.

Lindsay was sitting on their bed in a pair of sweatpants and what he recognized as his Yankees sweatshirt. She was flipping agitatedly through a magazine, giving each page only a cursory glance before snapping the page and moving onto the next.

"Baby?" he asked, moving further into the room. He had obviously startled her, because her head shot up and she let out a gasp, her hand clutching at her chest. "Sorry, honey. I didn't mean to scare you." He hung the dry cleaning up in the closet then crossed the room to sit on the bed beside her. "You okay? What are you doing home from work?"

"I got off early," she said, then her eyes went wide. "I mean, I didn't get off, I just… Hawkes and I were finished with our case, and Mac sent us home. Why? Is there a problem with that?"

"No. No problem," Danny replied, slightly perplexed by her bizarre response and clipped tone. "I'm just surprised to see you, that's all. Surprised, but happy." He leaned toward her, pressing a soft kiss to her cheek. "I missed you today."

Her expression softened and she seemed to relax, allowing him to pull her closer as he sat back against the headboard.

"I missed you too," she said, resting her head against his shoulder.

"Did Flack leave?" he asked, realizing that he no longer heard his friend in the shower, and he'd seen no sign of him out in the living area of the apartment. He felt Lindsay tense slightly at the mention of their friend's name.

"Oh. Was he here? I didn't see him."

"No? That's weird," Danny mused. "When I left he was just gonna have a shower. He sounded like he planned to stick around for a while. Asked me to pick up a pizza."

"Well, I don't know," Lindsay snapped. "He's not here now, so I guess that means he left. Why are you asking me? And what was he doing in our shower? Doesn't he have a bathroom at his place? Why does he always have to be over here?"

"Whoa," Danny said, sitting up straighter and looking down at his wife who was adamantly refusing to meet his gaze. "What happened? Did you two have a fight or something?" She shook her head, but remained silent, still refusing to look at him. "Lindsay, tell me what happened."

"Nothing happened," she said, pushing herself up from the bed. "I told you I didn't see him."

He watched her go, sighing as she walked out into the living room. He got up and followed her, finding her gathering her discarded clothes from the floor. She jumped when he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. He rested his head on her shoulder, squeezing her gently in his arms while he waited for her to say something. He felt her finally relax, leaning back against him and resting her hands over his.

"I'm sorry, Danny," she said. "I didn't mean to snap at you like that. I just… I got home early and I wanted to surprise you…"

"And finding Flack here kind of killed the mood?" he guessed. She sighed and nodded her head. "Well… he's gone now, unless you've got him hidden under our bed. So let's not let it ruin the rest of our night, okay?" He began to trail a series of soft kisses down her neck, his hands searching for her body beneath the mountainous folds of her oversized sweatshirt. "We're still on for tonight, right? You still want to do this?"

She nodded her head once more, guiding his hands beneath her clothing and sighing as his fingers came into contact with the skin of her stomach. She tilted her head, granting his lips greater access to her neck.

"Mmm… God, you feel so good, baby," he murmured in her ear. "I love you so much." He took her earlobe into his mouth and sucked lightly. "I'm feeling a little dirty here, though baby. I didn't get a chance to have a shower yet, didn't figure you'd be home for a while. You wanna join me? I could use a little help washing my back."

She stiffened in his arms. "Um… no, I'm fine. I don't need a shower."

"I know you don't need one, Linds," Danny pressed. "It's not a matter of needing. It's a matter of wanting. And I want you. Naked. In the shower. Let's go." He began to gently tug her in the direction of the bathroom, frowning when she dug in her heels, putting up resistance. "What? What's the matter?"

"I said I don't want to have a shower with you," Lindsay reaffirmed, pulling out of his grasp and picking up the pile of clothes she'd dropped on the couch when he'd begun his amorous advances. "I just don't feel like it."

He stared back at her for a moment, his expression one of wounded confusion. Finally he couldn't hold it in any longer.

"What the hell is your problem?" he asked, not bothering to hide his annoyance at being brushed off after the rollercoaster of responses he had gotten from her. "Jesus. Sorry for trying to do something spontaneous with you. The next time you don't want me, just do me a fucking favour and tell me to my face, alright. Don't play these stupid little games with me. Fuck." With that, he stomped off to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him, leaving Lindsay standing alone in the living room feeling both incredibly guilty and incredibly confused all at the same time.

She hadn't meant to push him away like that. She just didn't know what to do or how to react after her earlier encounter with Flack, and she had been unprepared for his questions when he'd surprised her in the bedroom. Reacting instinctively, she'd instantly become defensive, and in doing so, she knew she had hurt him. She felt hot tears beginning to sting behind her eyes as she heard her own words in her head.

_I don't want to have a shower with you… I just don't feel like it._

She hadn't meant it like that. She just needed a little time to wrap her head around the situation and figure out what she was going to do. She wanted to tell him, but she didn't know whether that was the best thing. It had been completely innocent, what had happened between her and Flack. Neither of them had intended for it to happen, but she still felt awkward.

It had been a long time since she'd seen a man other than Danny naked, and she was mad at herself for the tiny spark of arousal she'd felt in the pit of her stomach. She knew it had more to do with the anticipation she'd been feeling at the prospect of getting Danny in the shower than it did with seeing Flack, but it bothered her nonetheless.

Not only that, but he had seen her naked, and she felt extremely exposed. She was comfortable showing Danny her body, but the thought of anyone else seeing her made her cringe. What had he thought? Had he been repulsed? Had he liked what he'd seen? She had no idea. Deep down, she knew she shouldn't care, and that the only man whose opinion should matter was Danny's.

"So, now what?" she pondered aloud. Should she tell him? She knew what the answer was without even thinking about it. She should have told him the moment he came into the bedroom, but she'd been too embarrassed. She had worried that she would upset him further; he was very protective of her, after all. But she figured it was better to have him upset at her for the right reasons, rather than mistakenly thinking that she didn't want him.

Besides, if she didn't tell him, and Flack did… she didn't even want to think about that possibility. They had made a promise to be honest with one another about everything, and she wasn't about to break that promise now.

No longer hearing the water running in the bathroom, Lindsay let out a sigh. She knew that she couldn't put it off any longer. Steeling herself, she got up from where she had been sitting on the arm of the couch and crossed the living room, knocking softly on the bathroom door.

"Baby? Can I come in?"

* * *

"Shit, shit, shit," Flack berated himself as he paced back and forth in his living room.

He didn't know what to do. Should he call? Should he go over there? He didn't know if Lindsay had told him yet. He assumed since he hadn't gotten an irate phone call from Danny that either she had told him and he'd taken it remarkably well, or she hadn't yet summoned up the courage to tell him.

He shouldn't have taken off like that. He should have stayed to make sure Lindsay was okay; that they were okay. He should have stayed and helped her explain things to Danny instead of leaving her to fend for herself. And he definitely shouldn't have stared at her quite so long as she stood naked in front of him.

Shit.

It had been a while since he'd seen a woman naked like that. Not that he was a monk or anything, far from it. It was just that since Angell… well, he hadn't really met anyone promising, and he'd kept his activities with the fairer sex fairly limited. So when he'd seen her, it had been only natural to have some kind of… reaction. He was a man after all, and Lindsay was an attractive woman. But like he'd told everyone at Susie's farewell dinner, he'd known she was Danny's from the very beginning. And therein lay the problem. She was Danny's girl, and intentionally or not, he'd felt himself becoming slightly aroused at the sight of her.

With a sigh, he picked up the phone. If Lindsay had told Danny already, which he assumed was the case, he needed to reassure his friend that it was purely innocent. It had been an accident. Danny was a reasonable guy. He would understand and maybe a few months from now, they could all look back on this and laugh. Not yet, of course. Right now it was too soon, but eventually.

Maybe.

If Danny didn't kill him.

With trembling hands, he began to dial.

* * *

**So there you go. Part one of this two-part arc. **

**I hope you enjoyed yourself, and that you're looking forward to what's coming next. I'd love to hear from you so don't be shy and let me know what you thought. :)**


	37. The Naked Truth Part 2

**A/N: So, I feel an apology is in order. I did have this second installment ready to go, and I intended on uploading it on Monday. But we had a bit of a family emergency and I spent all day Monday in the hospital with my mom (she's fine, in case anyone was wondering). I got home and was going to post it then, but my computer decided to lose the file, so I had to type it out all over again…. I really wasn't trying to keep you waiting. I promise!  
**

**So, a big thank-you goes out to all of you reviewers (and you lurkers too!) who made my day a little brighter by sharing your thoughts on the last chapter with me. I hope you enjoy what I've come up with as the conclusion to this little arc!**

* * *

Danny tore off his clothes, tossing them angrily onto the bathroom floor before stepping under the hot stream of water. He allowed the heat of the shower to soothe him, helping him to calm down.

He knew he'd overreacted. He shouldn't have yelled at her like that. Something was bothering her, and he should have stayed to talk to her. But he'd reacted rashly, his feelings and his pride hurt by her cool rebuke, and he'd been left wondering what the hell he'd done to deserve the hot and cold treatment he'd received from her since he'd gotten home.

He was absolutely sure that whatever was bothering her had something to do with Flack. She'd practically bitten his head off when he'd asked her if she knew Flack's whereabouts and suggested that perhaps they'd had a disagreement. Knowing Lindsay, that was exactly what had happened, and he supposed that she just didn't want to put him in a situation where he'd have to choose sides between his wife and his best friend. He appreciated the sentiment, but he really wished she would just come out and tell him what the problem was instead of leaving him guessing.

After getting cleaned up, he rinsed himself off and reached down to shut off the water. He grabbed a towel and was just drying off when he heard a tentative knock on the door.

"Baby? Can I come in?"

He wrapped the towel around his waist before pulling open the door and staring expectantly at his wife, who was gnawing on her lip, gazing back at him apprehensively.

"So, you wanna tell me what happened with Flack?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning against the frame of the door. He saw her eyes widen with astonishment and he knew that he had guessed correctly.

"Um," she began, twisting the sleeve of his sweater nervously between her fingers. "Well, when I came home from work, I wanted to surprise you." She looked up and gave him a half-hearted smile. "I was so excited about tonight, and when I got home, I heard the shower running, so…" She paused, hoping that she wouldn't have to finish her sentence. But Danny simply stared back at her, leaving her no choice but to continue. "So, I came in here, thinking it was you in the shower. I got undressed and… and then Flack was there and we… um, we saw each other. Naked."

Danny blinked once. Twice. Three times, then he burst out laughing, doubling over and holding his sides. His reaction took Lindsay aback. She didn't know exactly what she had expected, but it definitely wasn't this. She gaped at him, wondering what the hell he thought was so funny. Straightening up, he wiped his eyes, still chuckling to himself as he reached out and pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her and pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Is that all?" he asked, rubbing her back. "Jesus, Lindsay. You had me really worried there for a minute." He pulled back and grinned down at her. "Oh, you poor thing. I've seen Flack naked and I'm actually surprised you're not more traumatized. Maybe we need to get your eyes checked, because he's the stuff nightmares are made of. All that hair? He's like a Sasquatch or something."

"Danny, it's not funny."

"I know, baby," he said, still chuckling slightly despite his words. "I know it's not. But you have to understand, Linds… I had no idea what was going on. I was trying to think if I'd done something to piss you off, or if you were mad at me because of something Flack did… I guess I'm just a little relieved. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to laugh at you."

He smiled at her, drawing her close once again. Lindsay felt her nerves begin to fade away as she cuddled into his chest. Then a thought occurred to her.

"When did you see Flack naked?"

"Locker room at the gym," Danny replied. "And me and him were roommates for a while when we were at the academy. The man has no shame."

Lindsay rolled her eyes, then pulled back slightly so that she could look up at Danny.

"You did hear me say that he saw me naked too, right?" she asked seriously. Danny nodded his head, and Lindsay felt her heart flutter at the little flicker of jealousy she saw in his eyes.

"Yeah, I did," he said. "Although I was trying to pretend I didn't. Thanks for reminding me."

"Are you… okay with it?"

"No," he said honestly. "I hate the thought of anyone other than me getting to look at your beautiful body." He let his hands drift down to give her backside a gentle squeeze. "But this was an accident, honey. There's a big difference between what happened between you and Flack, and some guy making a move on you or gawking at you with his tongue hanging out when we're out together somewhere."

Lindsay could tell he was thinking about their date a few weeks back when their waiter had openly checked her out, despite the fact that Danny was right there.

"We're never going to go back to that restaurant ever again, are we?" Lindsay asked with a resigned sigh.

"Not as long as that douche bag is working there, we're not," Danny growled. "Fucking prick." Lindsay couldn't help but smile as Danny's grip on her tightened possessively. "But seriously, Linds. Flack's my best friend. He's our friend. I trust him and I trust you. Like I said, I don't like the thought of sharing you with anyone else, but if someone had to see you, I'd rather it was someone I can count on not to be a total horndog about it."

"So… you're not mad?"

"No, I'm not mad. It was an accident, Linds. Accidents happen. Am I thrilled that Flack got a peek at you? No, I'm not. But I'm not going to hold it against you. Either of you."

She smiled up at him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close and pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Thank you, Danny. What did I ever do to deserve you?" Lindsay sighed as she rested her head against his shoulder. She heard Danny chuckle and his lips grazed against her ear.

"I don't know, babe. But it must have been something real bad," he whispered.

Lindsay shivered at his words and raised herself up on her toes, pulling Danny down at the same time and their lips met in a heated and possessive kiss. She could feel the heat from his body even through the thick layers of her clothes and she let out a moan of longing as his tongue plundered her mouth, his hands kneading and massaging her backside before he lifted her up and carried her down the hall and into their bedroom.

"Strip," he commanded her authoritatively after tossing her onto the bed. "Now."

She stared back at him, chest heaving as she pulled his baggy sweater over her head. She heard him groan appreciatively when she revealed that beneath the sweater, she hadn't bothered to put on a bra. Throwing the sweater aside, she began to pull down her sweatpants ever so slowly, toying with him and enjoying the delicious sensation of his eyes on her as she unveiled her body to him.

"Strip faster," he demanded. "I want to see you." She smiled coquettishly at him and slowed her movements even further, loving the low, impatient growl she drew from her husband. Clearly having had enough of her teasing, he reached down and grabbed the legs of her sweatpants in his hands and ripped them off of her. "Didn't you hear me?" he growled. "When I tell you to do something, you do it. You got that? You're mine and you'll do as you're told."

God, she loved it when he did this. He'd told her before that he got off on having her be the dominant one in bed, but this… this was seriously hot. She could feel the heat pooling between her thighs, and her body was aching with her desire for him.

She smiled flirtatiously up at him, lying back on the bed and awaiting his next instructions. She watched as he slowly unwrapped the towel from around his waist, revealing his already prominent erection. She licked her lips in anticipation as he knelt on the foot of the bed and began to crawl up her body. She could feel his breath on her skin, but he was being careful not to touch her. Not yet. Her breath caught in her throat when he reached her stomach and he paused, lowering his face to press an unexpectedly soft and tender kiss just above her belly button before be resumed his torturously teasing path up her body. Goosebumps broke out on her skin at the significance of his gesture. This was not only about them, about the love and connection they shared with one another, but also about the two of them trying to make a new life. Despite her heightened state of arousal, she felt tears welling up in her eyes at his genuine display of love and affection for her.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks with the pad of his thumb. "Do you… do you not want to…"

"Yes, yes I want to, Danny. I really do," she assured him. "It's just… You constantly surprise me, and I love you so much. I don't know if you realize how much, honey."

"I think I have a pretty good idea," he said, bowing his head to capture her lips in a soft and gentle kiss. She felt his tongue seeking entrance to her mouth, and she let him in only to have him draw back, moving to kiss his way down to her ear. "Roll over, Lindsay. Get onto your belly for me, baby." His words were soft and loving, but his tone carried the same heated authority as his previous demands for her to strip. She wasted no time and quickly found herself face down on the bed with Danny's mouth and hands exploring her back.

"Oh, Danny," she moaned as his mouth worked the back of her neck while his hands explored her back and sides. "Baby, that feels so good."

"No talking," he instructed her, his lips brushing against her skin. "Unless you're screaming my name, I don't want to hear a word from you. Got it?"

Biting her lip, Lindsay nodded her head in response. Satisfied, Danny began to slowly make his way down her body, leaving her tingling from the trail of warm wet kisses in his wake. "Jesus, baby. I love your back. You're so goddamn sexy, Lindsay."

He'd reached the small of her back and was focusing on placing tiny, fluttering kisses to the sensitive area when he was interrupted by the jangling sound of the phone ringing. Lindsay hoped he wouldn't answer it, that he would let whoever it was leave a message. But she knew that would never happen. It could be his mother calling about a problem with Lucy, or it could be work. He was on secondary call tonight, after all.

Grumbling, Danny pushed himself up and reached for the phone.

"What?" he answered rudely, clearly as unimpressed as Lindsay at being interrupted. She listened hard and she thought she could faintly make out what sounded like a man's voice on the other end of the line. She prayed that it wasn't Mac calling him in to work.

"What do you want?" Danny asked. Lindsay sighed with relief. By his tone, she could tell it was neither work nor his mother. "Um… can you call back later? I'm kind of busy right now…Uh huh… No, she told me… No, I'm not mad… No, really. I'm not mad… Well, if I sound mad it's because I don't really want to have this conversation right now, Flack… No, I'm just busy… No you can't come over… No, don't come over… don't come over! Flack!" She heard the beep of the phone as he disconnected the call and he lay down on top of her, resting his forehead between her shoulder blades. "Fuck. He's coming over."

"Did you lock the door when you came home?"

"I thought I told you no talking," Danny mumbled into her back and Lindsay couldn't help but smile. "Although I have to say I like the way you think, Mrs. Messer." She felt a slight chill at the loss of his body heat when he pushed himself up and ran out into the living room, first making a quick stop in the closet where he grabbed something and took it with him. He sounded like he was rustling around in one of the drawers in the kitchen for a moment before she heard him open and close the front door quickly, followed by the clink of the security chain sliding into place and the snap of the deadbolt being set. Within moments he was back, nestling his body down on top of hers once more. "You miss me?" he asked. Lindsay opened her mouth to reply, then remembered she wasn't supposed to speak. Instead she simply wiggled her hips, causing him to moan softly at the slight friction against his arousal. "That's my girl," he said as he kissed his way back down her spine. "Thinking outside the box. I like it. Now, where was I?"

His lips quickly reacquainted themselves with the small of her back, and she sighed as she felt him shift, moving even lower. His hands massaged her hips while his mouth trailed over the swell of her backside, alternating sides as he licked and sucked his way down her firm cheeks. He gently nudged her legs apart, settling himself in between her thighs and she had to bite her lip to keep from crying out when she felt his gently probing tongue encircling her entrance. She whimpered slightly when he pulled back.

"Lift your hips for me baby," he said, grabbing a couple of pillows from the head of the bed and sliding them under her hips, adjusting her position to give himself better access. "Alright. Comfy?"

He didn't even give her time to consider a response before he delved back between her thighs and began to tease her clit with his tongue. Lindsay writhed on the bed, gripping the sheets beneath her when he inserted two fingers into her while he skillfully manipulated her clit with his mouth. She was having a hell of a time trying to keep quiet. The things he was doing to her and the way he was making her feel were just too good. He'd gone down on her many times in the past, but never from behind like this. She gasped as his tongue hit her clit in a way she'd never felt before.

"Oh, shit. Danny! Baby, do that again… oooh, yes. More! Baby I need more!"

He did it again. And again. And again until Lindsay could hold back no longer and she let herself go, screaming his name into the mattress while she shuddered around his fingers. She felt him shift once again as he raised himself up, placing a gentle kiss to the small of her back before his tongue carved a searing path up her spine, causing her to groan in delight.

"You like that, Montana?" he asked, aligning his body on top of hers and letting his lips brush against the shell of her ear. "You think we should do that again sometime?"

"Mmm…" was all she could manage to get out, her mind seemingly in the midst of a lust-induced coma as he began to grind his hips against her backside, teasing her with the tip of his hardened length.

"But you know," he continued, kissing her shoulder. "I've done some extensive research on the subject, and I've discovered that as good as that may feel… it's not exactly how you go about making a baby." She shivered at his words, her body tingling with anticipation. "Care for a demonstration?"

"Oh, God. Yes," she pleaded. "Please, Danny. I need you."

Needing no further encouragement, he plunged into her, eliciting a loud moan of satisfaction from deep within her. Her body arched into his as he began to move, taking his time and letting her feel all of him with each thrust of his hips.

He placed his hands on the bed on either side of her head and buried his face in the back of her neck, panting hard as he struggled to maintain his rhythm. His warm breath on her skin only served to increase her arousal, and she reached up and grasped his hands in hers, clinging to him as he drove into her, hard and fast now, sending her careening over the edge.

While she was coming down from yet another mind-blowing orgasm, she felt Danny's body tense and his movements still. He moaned loudly as he spilled deep inside of her before his arms gave out and he collapsed, exhausted, on top of her.

"Oh, my God, Linds," he panted in her ear. "Oh, God, baby. I love you so much, honey."

He carefully rolled off of her onto his side, pulling her into his arms and capturing her lips in a loving kiss.

"I love you too, Danny," she replied when they broke apart and she rested her head on his chest, letting out a small, satisfied sigh. They were both quiet for a moment, each of them lost in their own thoughts as they cuddled together on their bed. "Honey, what did you take from the closet?" Lindsay asked, finally breaking the contented silence between them.

"Hmm?" he asked, absently running his fingers through her hair.

"When you went out to lock the door, you took something with you. What was it?"

He grinned at her, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Just a little extra precaution," he said. "I know Flack, and just because a door is locked doesn't mean he won't still try to get in. He's got it in his head that I'm pissed off at him for seeing you naked, and he wanted to come over and 'make things right', as he put it."

"So… what did you take? I don't get it."

"When you were in college, did you have a roommate?" Danny asked. Lindsay furrowed her brow, looking up at him in confusion at his seemingly random question.

"Yes."

"Okay, so, ever walk in on your roommate getting it on with her boyfriend?"

"Ew. Yes. Once." Lindsay remembered, scrunching up her nose at the unpleasant memory.

"Right, happens to everybody once, and then you develop a system. A signal that you're… you know… busy. And you don't want to be disturbed."

"Uh huh."

"Well, like I said, when I was in the academy, Flack was my roommate and I walked in on him and his girlfriend at the time. It was awful, it was so embarrassing. So we adopted the tried and true system of hanging something from the doorknob, usually a tie," he explained. "So, I figured why not? Hopefully he'll still remember and he'll take the hint and leave us alone."

"You know, you're smarter than you look," Lindsay teased, giggling when Danny rolled over on top of her and began to tickle her. "Okay, uncle! Uncle! I take it back."

"I could have sworn I said something about no talking from you," Danny said, shaking his head as he leaned down to kiss the tip of her nose. "That mouth of yours is gonna get you into all kinds of trouble."

"Mmm," Lindsay sighed as she pushed Danny over onto his back and began to trail a string of kisses down his chest. "Let's see if I can't find a better use for it then."

"That's not how you make babies either," Danny said, closing his eyes as his wife kissed her way down his body.

"Quit your bitching, Messer. We've got all night."

* * *

Out in the hallway, the elevator doors slid open and Don Flack emerged, intent on talking to Danny. He was worried. Danny had told him he wasn't mad, but he'd been very short with him on the phone, and Flack hoped he hadn't caught the two of them in the middle of an argument.

Approaching the door, Flack couldn't help but grin at the sight that greeted him. Hanging from the doorknob was probably the ugliest necktie Flack had ever seen. Which, judging from the responses he got to his own neck apparel, was really saying something. He looked up and saw a folded note taped to the door with his name scrawled across the front in Danny's messy printing. He tore it off the door and had to laugh out loud when he read the hastily scribbled contents.

_Flack,_

_Not mad. But if you knock on this door or try to come in, I will seriously kill you. I'm not kidding. We're busy. Now go away._

_Beers on Tuesday at Sullivan's. Just you and me, buddy._

_D_

**

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Well? What do we think?**

**I hope you enjoyed the smut as well as the conversation between Danny and Lindsay, and that his reaction was all you were hoping for! And we can't forget about Flack… poor, long-suffering Flack. He's such a good friend. **

**I had a lot of fun writing the *shudders* _Bromance _(God, I hate that word) at the beginning of the last chapter, that you can look forward to some more where that came from in the near future. Until then, happy reading!**


	38. Brothers In Arms

**A/N: Oh, **_**High School Daze**_**. Why are you suddenly so hard to write? I had so many ideas on where to go with this chapter. But I decided to go with this one before I delve into the next few chapters. I was asked to provide some more *ahem* **_**Bromance**_** (or close, brotherly relationship between two heterosexual men, as I prefer to call it) between Flack and Danny. So, here you go. You can't say I never listen to your requests! I guess it's kind of a filler, but I hope you have fun none the less. : )**

**Thanks to all who took the time to review. You guys are what keeps this story going! I'm glad you enjoyed the resolution to Flack and Lindsay's little encounter!**

**So, without further ado, I'll shut up and leave you to read the next chapter in peace.**

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"Flack, cover me. My phone's ringing," Danny called out.

"What? Just leave it, Messer," Flack shouted back. "I can't hold them off on my own!"

"Pussy," Danny muttered, pulling his phone from his pocket. "Messer."

"Hey baby."

"Hey, Linds," Danny said. "What's up?"

"Not much. Just put Lucy to bed and thought I'd call to see how your night was going."

"Well, we're under heavy enemy fire right now, babe. I can't really talk. They've got us surrounded on all sides and… Flack? Flack! No, don't go out there, man! It's a trap!"

"We can't stay here, Dan," Flack hissed. "We're just sitting ducks. Come on, let's go!"

"Babe, I gotta go. Flack's about to shit his pants."

"Okay, well you boys have fun. And don't be too late."

"We will. And I won't."

"Love you."

"You too, Linds. Bye."

Danny pocketed his phone and glanced over to where Flack was crouched down behind a stack of crates as he peeked over the top to assess the situation.

"You done?" Flack asked, noticing that Danny had finished his call.

"Done. So, what do we got?"

"Well, there's four or five of them over in that bunker there," Flack whispered, pointing to a low, squat fortress on the other side of the warehouse. "And I think they've got us flanked on both sides. But I don't know how many."

"Sounds like a suicide mission, Flack," Danny replied sombrely. "They outnumber us at least five to one."

"So, what do you want to do?"

Danny peeked over the top of the crates. He could see shadowy figures moving around the edges of the warehouse. Flack was right. There was no way out. Not without a fight.

"I don't know about you," he said, "But I'm not just going to sit here like a coward and let them take us out. If I'm going down, I'm going in a blaze of glory."

"Alright! That's the Messer I know!"

Flack and Danny moved into position, ready to spring into action.

"On the count of three," Danny said and Flack nodded his head. "One… two…"

"Hey, Mess?"

"What?"

"I just wanna say… it's been my honour and privilege to fight by your side tonight. If we make it out of here…"

"Don't talk like that," Danny interrupted. "We're going to get out of here. We're going to be just fine. They have numbers, but we've got years of training behind us, Don."

Flack and Danny grinned at one another, and Danny resumed his countdown.

"One… two… three! Go, Flack! Go!"

They burst out of their hiding place, a haze of projectiles flying through the air in their direction. Flack felt something whiz past his ear and he opened fire on the shadows that were slowly closing in on them. He dropped and rolled across the floor, finding temporary solace behind a pillar as he reloaded his weapon. And that's when he heard it.

"Oomph," came Danny's voice from somewhere out in the darkness. "Flack! Flack, I'm hit!"

"Danny, noooo!"

His weapon reloaded, Flack launched himself out from behind the pillar, firing a barrage of artillery out into the wide open space of the warehouse. He heard a few grunts and he knew he'd hit at least a couple of his intended targets, but there were still more of them out there. How many, he had no idea.

He could see Danny lying on the cold concrete floor a few feet away from him.

"You alright, Mess?"

"It's getting cold, Flack," Danny whispered. "So cold… I can't… I can't hang on much longer. There's a light… I can see it…"

"No, Danny!" Flack cried out. "Don't go toward the light! Stay with me! I'll get you out of here!"

"I'm sorry, Flack. I just… I can't."

Flack watched as Danny gave an exaggerated shudder before his body went completely still.

"Alright, you little shits," Flack muttered under his breath. "Think you can just take down my best friend and get away with it? You are gonna pay!"

He cocked his weapon and ran out into the open to avenge his fallen comrade. He was able to get off a few rounds before he felt something hit his chest and he stumbled backward. He touched his hand to the place he'd been hit, staring in shock and horror at the sticky liquid that covered his fingers. He'd been shot. The little fuckers had shot him!

He heard a chorus of laughter from the murky depths of the warehouse. "Danny, those little pricks shot me!"

"Oh, get over yourself, Flack," Danny said, getting to his feet as the lights in the warehouse came back up, flooding the space with the hot white light from the fluorescent bulbs. "You were standing out in the open. What did you expect?"

Flack sighed, shaking his head. "It's just not fair. Why did I agree to this again?"

"What do you mean, 'agree to this'?" Danny asked. "This was your idea."

"This sucks."

"Cut it out. Don't be such a sore loser." Danny walked to where Flack was standing, a wide smile on his face as he raised his protective face mask and brushed himself off. "Admit it. You had fun."

Flack grinned at his friend as they fell into step with one another on their way to turn in their weapons and gear. "Yeah. I really did. Thanks for coming with me."

"My pleasure. I haven't played paintball in a long, long time."

It was Tuesday night, and Danny had been as good as his word, making sure he set aside the night for the two of them to spend together on what Lindsay had jokingly referred to as their "date night". He had assumed they'd go to Sullivan's, have a few beers, maybe a game of pool. But when Flack had suggested paintball, Danny had jumped at the idea.

"Great death by the way," Flack commented. "I really bought it. The part about seeing the light – that was a nice touch. A little overdramatic, maybe, seeing as you got shot in the leg…"

"Hey, it could have hit my femoral artery," Danny said. "It's a good thing I tried to jump out of the way, though. I think that kid was aiming for my nuts. If he'd hit me where he _meant_ to hit me… well, let's just say I'd be pretty useless to Lindsay in the bedroom from now until… forever."

"Maybe he was trying to do mankind a favour and stop you from procreating," Flack remarked, laughing when Danny gave him a hard shove. "What? Don't get me wrong, Lucy's great. But if you two ever decide to have another kid and it's a boy? Man, I shudder for humanity. One testosterone-fuelled Messer is enough."

"Thanks a lot, you asshole."

"Anytime, Danno."

As they handed over their paintball guns and shrugged out of the protective gear and coveralls they'd rented, they heard the group of kids they'd been playing against come into the office to return their own equipment.

"Man, that was awesome. Did you see me get that one guy?"

"That was so cool…"

There was a pause in their conversation when they saw Danny and Flack standing at the desk. The two detectives turned to look at the boys – a group of nine, maybe ten kids no older than 13 years old. Flack felt no small amount of pride at seeing large splatters of his own yellow paint marking at least five of them. They stared at the older men, obviously torn between celebrating their victory and feeling sheepish at coming face to face with their adversaries after battle.

"Hey, you guys," Danny said, stepping forward. "Good game. Thanks for letting us play." He held up his hand for a high-five from the kids, and was greeted with excited smiles all around. One by one they smacked their palms against Danny's while Flack sulked by the desk at having been bested by a gang of pre-pubescent teenagers. "That's a mean shot you got me with," Danny praised a kid with a shock of flaming red hair and a smattering of freckles across his face. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"Um… video games," the kid said, his voice cracking.

"Really? Huh, never played a lot of video games myself. But I've got a friend who's really into them. I bet he'd have had a great time tonight," Danny said. He turned to try and include Flack in the conversation. "Ain't that right, Flack. You think Adam would have had fun with us?"

Flack shrugged his shoulders noncommittally then turned to the man at the desk to pay for their paintball game. Danny rolled his eyes, eliciting a quiet snicker from the boys.

"He's just grumpy 'cause we lost," he whispered to the kids.

"You're pretty cool… for an old guy," one kid said to Danny, causing Flack to snort with laughter as he tucked his wallet away in his pocket. "What do you do?"

"Actually, I'm a cop," Danny said, pulling back the hem of his jacket to reveal the badge clipped to his belt. "We both are."

"Whoa… that is so cool," the red-haired kid murmured appreciatively. "Dudes, we just creamed a pair of cops! I can't wait to tell my dad!"

"Hey! I wouldn't say that you creamed us," Danny protested, chuckling good-naturedly at the kid's excitement. "We held our own pretty good for a while there."

The smug looks on the faces of the youths surrounding him told Danny he was in the minority in his opinion when it came to their performance in the warehouse.

"Do you carry a real gun?" one of the boys asked. "Can we see it?"

"Yeah, I do," Danny said. "But no you can't. I don't wear it when I'm not on duty."

"Have you ever shot anyone? Like a real bad guy?"

"Um… yes, I have."

"What was it like?"

"Uh… pretty terrible, actually."

"Oh." There was a slight uncomfortable silence, until another kid piped up from the back of the group.

"Have _you_ ever been shot? Like for real?"

"Okay, twenty questions is over," Flack said, rescuing Danny from the conversation he'd gotten himself into. "You boys have fun. Thanks for taking it easy on us old-timers."

"Aw, come on mister! Answer the question!"

"It's alright, Flack," Danny said. He turned back to the boys who were looking up at him expectantly. "Yeah. I have been shot. Hope it never happens again."

"Where?"

"Where what?"

"Where did you get shot?" the red-head asked, with wide, curious eyes.

"Right in the face. That's why he's so ugly," Flack interjected. "Come on, Danno. Let's go."

"Flack, what the hell is your problem?" Danny asked and Flack let out an exasperated sigh. Once again, Danny faced the kids. "I got shot in the back. Above my hip."

"Did it hurt?"

"Like a son-of-a-bitch," Danny said.

"And that's why you should never play with real guns," Flack interrupted yet again. "Let's go, Messer." He grabbed Danny's arm and dragged him out of the paintball facility and into the darkened parking lot.

"What crawled up your ass and died?" Danny asked, yanking his arm from Flack's grasp. "Jesus. I was just talking to those kids."

"Yeah, well. They ask too many questions," Flack grumbled.

"They weren't even asking you," Danny pointed out, perplexed by Flack's behaviour. "What's the big deal? Kids ask questions. So what? I figure if I give 'em an honest answer, maybe there's a couple kids in there that won't think guns are so cool anymore. And if you ask me, a few less people out there playing with real guns is a good thing."

They walked in silence until they reached Flack's car. He opened his door and got inside, reaching over the front seat to unlock the passenger door for Danny.

"Seriously, Don," Danny said, buckling his seatbelt, "What the hell is up with you? And don't tell me you're mad because we lost. I know you. You're not that bad a loser."

Flack gripped the steering wheel tightly, his eyes fixed on the array of lights shining up at him from the dashboard.

"I lost one of the most important people in my life to a gun," Flack said quietly. "And that same day… I almost lost my best friend. So I'm sorry if I'm a little pissy when it comes to… It's just something I try not to think about."

Danny stared silently back at Flack, who put the car in gear and began to manoeuvre the vehicle out into traffic.

"I'm sorry, Don," Danny said softly. "I didn't even think… I guess I was so caught up with myself back then… I didn't realize…"

"Hey, water under the bridge, Danno," Flack said lightly. "I really mean it. I don't blame you one bit for thinking about yourself. You had a lot of shit to deal with, you didn't need to add me to the list. And to tell you the truth, I didn't really stop to think about what it was you really went through. At the time, I was too busy wallowing in misery to be bothered to notice that maybe we could have had more fun being miserable together."

Danny chuckled wryly at Flack's comment. "You know what? I really did miss this," he said. "Just us hanging out. I'm glad you guilted me into spending more time with you. You're not half bad, you know that?"

"Yeah, well you're not half good, so I guess that makes us… what does that make us?"

"A whole lot of nothin'?" Danny suggested. Flack glanced at him out of the corner of his eye and the two of them burst out laughing at the slightly ridiculous turn their conversation had taken. "Alright, so that was lame. So sue me."

"Nah. I know what you earn in a year, and I'm sorry to say, you're just not worth it, buddy."

"Prick," Danny muttered. "Just for that, beers at Sullivan's are on you."

"Ah… then I might have to take a pass," Flack said, giving Danny a guilty smile. "Little short on cash."

"What?"

"Yeah… kind of spent it all on paintball."

"What do you mean? How much does paintball cost?"

"Well, not a lot for the two of us," Flack admitted. "But, well… I picked up the tab for those kids. Figured it'd be a nice thing to do, them letting us play with them and all."

"Aw, and the Grinch's heart grew three sizes that day," Danny laughed.

"Shut up," Flack muttered, blushing slightly as Danny continued to chuckle at him. "If you want that beer, you're buying."

"Deal," Danny agreed. "One beer. Then home."

* * *

Three hours later, one beer had turned into several pitchers, followed by a few rounds of shots. Leaving Flack's car parked outside Sullivan's, Danny and Flack had collapsed into a cab, Danny slurring directions to his apartment to the taxi driver.

"You don't think Lindsay's gonna mind?" Flack asked for the umpteenth time as Danny hauled him out of the taxi and up the front steps to his apartment building. "I don't think she wants to see me… well, any more of me... She saw me naked, you know?"

"Yeah, I know," Danny replied, concentrating hard on getting the lock to stop moving long enough for him to insert his key. For some reason he kept missing the hole. "Fuck… stupid lock must be broken. My key won't work."

"I saw her naked too, Danno… but you weren't mad. You're a good guy."

"I am a good guy," Danny agreed, nodding his head drunkenly at Flack. "But just so you know… all clothes stay on in my house from now on, okay? No more accidents."

"Or else what?" Flack asked.

"Or else I'll… I'll… I don't know what… but it's gonna be bad."

"Oooh. I'm real scared," Flack teased. "You can't even open you're door."

"Can too," Danny said. "I just don't want to."

"You're an idiot," Flack said, grabbing the keys from Danny's hand. "Let me try." He struggled with the lock for a moment before shoving the keys back into Danny's hand. "You're right. The lock must be broken."

He stumbled over to the intercom and punched in Danny and Lindsay's apartment number. They listened to it buzz until Lindsay's sleepy and slightly annoyed voice came over the speaker.

"Who is it?" she mumbled, clearly not amused at being woken at this late hour of the night.

"Hi Lindsay!" Flack chirped. "Guess who!"

"Don?" she sounded confused. "Are you alright? Where's Danny?"

"I don't know," Flack slurred. "He's really short. He gets lost in crowds."

"What? Don, that's not funny. Where is he?"

"Baby, my key won't let us in," Danny explained, punctuating his sentence with a well-timed hiccup.

"Danny? Are you… drunk?" she asked, a hint of amusement creeping into her voice.

"What? Pfft. No," Danny assured her, shaking his head, his action causing his surroundings to swirl and blur in front of him. "Ugh… maybe a little."

"Okay, stay by the front door," Lindsay instructed them. "I'm coming down to get you. I don't want the two of you waking the whole building when your keys won't work in the other tenants' doors."

"See? That's why I love her. She's so smart," Danny said, beaming with pride at his friend. "Love you, baby!"

All he got in response was a click as Lindsay terminated their conversation. They sat on the front steps while they waited. Moments later, they heard the soft click of the front door opening and Lindsay stood staring down at the pair of them, clad in her pyjamas and housecoat with her pink fluffy slippers on her feet.

"You owe me so big for this, Messer," she said, hauling Danny to his feet. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Is it Business Time?" Danny asked, wiggling his eyebrows at her. "I like Business Time."

"Oh, mister. It is soooo not Business Time," Lindsay said, swatting his backside as she shoved him in the front door and proceeded to pull Flack to his feet.

"I'm not interested in Business Time," Flack informed her primly, albeit with a heavy slur to his words. "All clothes stay on, Lindsay. Only the first peek was free."

"Fine by me." Lindsay rolled her eyes as she led the two stumbling men into the elevator. The ride upstairs was fairly quiet, save for the occasional hiccup from Danny or Flack. Once on their floor, Lindsay urged them both to be quiet as she let them into the apartment. She pushed Danny in the direction of the bedroom while she grabbed a pillow and some blankets for Flack and made a bed for him on the couch. When it was ready, she smiled at him and he scrunched up his nose.

"You guys have sex on that couch," he whined. "I don't want to sleep there."

"Oh, my God," Lindsay muttered under her breath, letting out an exasperated sigh. "You know what?" she said in her normal voice, "I had it cleaned just for you, Don. No cooties. I promise."

"Yeah? Aw, that's really nice of you, Lindsay," he mumbled, patting her on the head. "You're a nice girl." Watching him crawl under the blankets, Lindsay rolled her eyes and shook her head. Then she got a bucket out from under the kitchen sink – just in case – and a bottle of water from the fridge, setting them on the floor beside Flack. "Night, Don."

As she turned and walked down the hall to the bedroom, she heard him let out a loud snore and she couldn't help but giggle. God, she was glad Danny wasn't a big snorer. She didn't know how she'd ever get any sleep.

Pushing open the bedroom door, she smiled at the sight of Danny lying face down on the bed. He let out a loud groan as she sat down beside him and rubbed his back.

"Oh, God," he moaned. "I don't feel good. Can you please stop the room from spinning? I want to get off now."

"Come on, babe. Let me help you get undressed. You'll feel better once you're in bed.

"I don't want to move!" he moaned. "Don't make me."

"You are gonna be hurting in the morning, honey," Lindsay said, kissing the top of his head. "I'm going to get you a glass of water and some Aspirin. Then I'm putting you to bed whether you like it or not."

Lindsay went to the bathroom to get the water and the painkiller for Danny. When she returned, Danny had managed to get himself into a sitting position and was tugging his shirt over his head. Lindsay waited patiently while he wrestled with his pants, forgetting to take off his shoes first and grumbling with frustration as his uncoordinated movements and alcohol-soaked brain refused to allow him to get his pants off.

With a sigh, Lindsay set the glass and pill down on his bedside table before she swatted Danny's hands away and helped him unlace his shoes. Then she pulled off his pants and got him tucked under the covers.

"Here. Take this," she instructed him, placing the pill in his palm and handing him the glass. She watched him toss back the pill and wash it down with the water, then he snuggled down under the covers and smiled up at her.

"Thank you," he said, his voice slightly less slurred than it had been when she'd first heard him over the intercom. "Love you."

"You're welcome, honey," she said. She stroked his head, kissing his forehead before she rounded the bed and crawled in on her side. "I love you too. Now go to sleep."

He rolled over so that his head was resting on her shoulder and he draped his arm across her stomach. "Not tired," he yawned.

"Uh huh," Lindsay sighed, fighting back her own yawn. "Good night, Danny."

She could feel Danny's body relaxing beside her, the weight of his arm over her stomach and she pressed another kiss to his forehead before reaching over and turning off the light on her bedside table. She lay staring at the ceiling for a moment, smiling as Danny mumbled unintelligibly to himself before he finally fell asleep, breathing deeply. Her eyes began to droop closed and she felt herself beginning to doze off with Danny holding her tightly and Flack's snores echoing loudly from the living room.

**

* * *

So? It feels a little **_**meh**_** to me. But then again, I think I'm always my own harshest critic. I was struggling to find something different and fun for Danny and Flack to do together… and I really wanted to have a little giggle with getting the two of them drunk. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed and had a few laughs! More to come soon. : )**

**Please let me know what you thought. You know reviews are always welcome!**

**Oh, and just on the off chance you were interested, Danny's comments about**** Business Time**** are in reference to the song called (oddly enough) "Business Time" by _Flight of the Conchords_. In case it wasn't clear, ****Business Time**** refers to, well… you know. Sex. ;)  
**

**Fun fact about rhymes? In case you haven't read my profile, _Flight of the Conchords _is also where I got my name – in honour of their hilarious "rap" called **_**Rhymenocerous vs. Hip-hopapotamus**_**. If you haven't checked FOTC out already, you may want to do so. Seriously, seriously funny stuff!**


	39. Paging Doctor Lindsay

**A/N: Ta da! *jazz hands* **

**Wait... What's this? Can it be? Is it so? An update for High School Daze? **

**Before you convince yourselves that you're seeing things, let me reassure you that yes… it is real. I am actually updating this story! Hurray!**

**Let me say how sorry I am that it has taken so long to get this update written. Those of you who took a few moments to read my recent one-shot "Dirty Laundry" will have already read my long-winded explanation for the delay, so I won't repeat myself here. I'll just say that I'm sorry and I promise to update more often from now on.**

**Thank you so much to those of you who reviewed the last chapter (oh, so long ago!). I'm glad you enjoyed Danny and Flack's "date night". I definitely had a lot of fun writing that chapter!**

**So, where do we go from there? Let's see if you can guess by the title, shall we? Read on, my friends. Read on!**

* * *

Lindsay Messer was not a happy woman. Sure, Danny was entitled to go out once in a while without her and have a little fun with the boys. She had no problem with that. However, after being awoken by Danny and Flack's shenanigans the night before, she'd struggled to fall back to sleep. She'd been overly tired and irritable the next morning as a result and she was looking forward to coming home and relaxing after a real bitch of a day. But judging by the state of things, her husband had other ideas on how she would be spending her evening.

"Dammit, Danny," she muttered under her breath as she kicked aside the laundry basket brimming with dirty clothes that was still sitting in the middle of the living room – exactly where she'd left it 10 hours earlier before heading to work. She'd thought it would be a none-too-subtle hint for him to do something useful on his day off – hangover or no hangover. But apparently, he'd felt that staying in bed all day and doing absolutely nothing would be a better use of his time.

She'd also taken out a package of chicken breasts from the freezer, leaving them to defrost on a plate in the refrigerator – again, another hint. This one being, 'G_et your lazy ass out of bed and have dinner ready for me when I get home'_. Opening the fridge, she rolled her eyes at the sight of the still unopened package of chicken, now completely thawed, staring back at her from the topmost shelf.

"God dammit, Danny." She slammed the refrigerator door closed, garnering herself a startled look from her daughter who was sitting in her high chair armed with several brightly coloured crayons and a sheet of pristine white paper. "Sorry, baby," Lindsay murmured, stroking her daughter's head reassuringly. "Mommy's not mad at you, Lucy."

"Dammit!" Lucy replied, smacking the table of her high chair with her tiny fist and grinning up at her mother. "Dammit! Dammit!"

Lindsay closed her eyes and took a deep breath, counting to ten silently in her head. She wanted to scream. She wanted to throw things. She wanted to seriously lose her temper. It wasn't like she had asked a lot of him. All he had to do was throw on a couple loads of laundry and whip up something simple for dinner, maybe even do a few dishes while he was at it. It wasn't exactly rocket science.

She ran her fingers through her hair and opened her eyes, gently reprimanding her daughter for repeating her own inappropriate language. She sat down at the table and picked up a crayon, allowing herself a moment to calm down as she scribbled away on a corner of Lucy's paper. She knew that as husbands went, she had it pretty good. Danny was a good man – he was smart, funny, attentive, sensitive and usually extremely thoughtful. It wasn't often that she found herself on the giving end of a good old fashioned temper tantrum on his account. But something about coming home after a particularly shitty and exhausting day to find that her partner in life had decided that it was beneath him to lend a helping hand to keep their household in running order just set her off. Even when he'd been bound to his wheelchair, paralyzed from the waist down, he'd insisted on sharing the load with her, doing what he could when he was able. So his callous disregard for the few tasks she'd set for him today seemed all the more amplified.

_Of course the scant four hours of sleep she'd gotten the night before could also have something to do with it_, she thought with a wry smile.

If she was truly honest with herself, what was really bothering her was that Danny had gotten himself into the position of being hung over in the first place. He really wasn't one for drinking – hell, most of the time it was he who ended up carrying her home from the bar and dealing with her hangovers the next day. Not that it happened a lot; it was just that when they went out together, Danny was usually the one that imposed a two-drink limit on himself, preferring to remain in complete control of his faculties as opposed to losing himself in the bottom of a glass.

She knew it stemmed from his youth – watching his older brother fall prey to the excesses that gang life afforded him had had a sobering effect on Danny. And during his baseball days, his coach had also drilled into him a "my body is my temple" mentality, which Danny took very seriously. Combine that with the fact that after spending months in a wheel chair numb from the waist down, the pain pills he'd been prescribed when the sensations began to return to his lower body had left him in a semi-conscious stupor for several weeks, which he absolutely hated. She'd watched him struggle with the unpleasant conundrum of taking too few of his pills and maintaining his grip on reality while his body was wracked with scorching pain, or taking the prescribed dosage and losing himself for several hours at a time. He'd told her that he preferred the pain because he felt as though every moment spent "in La-La Land" as he'd put it, was a moment with her and Lucy that he could never get back.

So she'd been more than a little surprised to hear his voice slurred over the intercom the night before. And despite the fact that he was what one would refer to as a 'friendly drunk' – extremely tactile and cuddly and not even remotely belligerent – she'd been a bit worried. What had happened between him and Flack that had driven her usually controlled husband into drinking himself silly? Obviously it hadn't been anything too serious, as he had invited Flack back to their place to crash on their couch. But it worried her nonetheless. And it had been that worry that had kept her up most of the night.

She'd vented some of her frustration at having to get up and go to work while Flack and Danny both lounged in their respective beds by allowing Lucy to run wild this morning, armed with a wooden spoon and the biggest saucepan her little arms could carry. The little girl had gleefully marched around the apartment banging the two together and laughing wildly at the groans of protest drawn from her father and her adoptive uncle.

Flack had finally gotten up, grabbing his coat and stumbling toward the door, mumbling something about knowing when he'd worn out his welcome. Danny on the other hand had bested Lindsay at her own game, convincing Lucy to drop her weapons and come cuddle with him in bed. Lindsay had walked in on the pair of them curled up together, Lucy "reading" a story to Danny – having grabbed one of the forensics journals from his bedside table and holding it upside down - while he rested his eyes, a small smile on his face as he listened to her elaborate and animated tale. Her heart melting slightly at the sight, Lindsay had quickly grabbed her phone and snapped a picture of the pair before gently extracting Lucy from her father's arms and getting her ready for daycare.

At this particular moment in time, however, her tender thoughts from this morning were being overridden by a simmering anger. No matter how hungover she'd been after a night out, she'd always managed to pull up her big girl panties and get on with her day. Granted, her day would start a few hours later than it normally would and she'd need about twice her usual daily dose of caffeine, but she got done the things that needed doing regardless of how poorly she felt. So it stood to reason that she would have the same expectations of her husband. If he wanted to go out drinking until all hours of the night then that was fine with her – God knows he did it infrequently enough. But it was no excuse for him to be shirking his duties, no excuse at all.

Ensuring that Lucy was suitably occupied in her chair, Lindsay left the kitchen, narrowing her eyes at the stack of dirty dishes still piled in the sink from when she'd made hers and Lucy's breakfasts that morning. She stalked across the living room and opened the bedroom door, flicking on the overhead light and grabbing hold of the bottom of the comforter under which her husband was buried and giving it a forceful tug, dragging it resolutely from his body.

"Get up, Danny," she said, giving his shoulder a shove as she rounded the bed to stand at its side. He groaned and buried his face in his pillow, his hand reaching out and searching in vain for his wayward blanket. "Come on. Up!"

Another shove had him pushing himself up on his forearms, his eyes screwed tightly shut and his hair in disarray on top of his head. Under normal circumstances, she would have found his appearance endearing… sexy even. But at this particularl moment in time, it only infuriated her further.

"What the hell, Danny?" she snapped, plunking herself down on the edge of the mattress and fixing him with a pointed stare. "Have you been in bed _all _day?"

"Lindsay?" he croaked, his voice thick and raspy. He bent his head and pressed the palms of his hands into his eyes before rolling over onto his side and blinking confusedly at her. "What are you doing home?"

"What am I…? _What_ am _I_…?" Lindsay sputtered. "Jesus, Danny. It's six o'clock at night. What the hell do you think I'm doing home?"

He raised his arm and glanced at his watch, letting out a weary sigh and settling back against his pillow. "Fuck…I'm so sorry, Linds," he mumbled, scrubbing his hands over his face. "I didn't know it was…" He paused, lowering his hands to his stomach and breathing deeply in through his nose and out his mouth before continuing, "… so late. I'm so, so sorry, honey. Just give me a minute and I'll get up and make you some dinner, okay?" He moved to sit up, then stopped, his eyes widening in panic and his hand flying to cover his mouth.

"Danny? What's wrong? Are you alri…"

She was interrupted as Danny frantically pushed her aside with a muffled cry of "Move! Move! Move!" before jumping out of bed and dashing down the hallway where she heard him wretch loudly in the bathroom. Her anger suddenly forgotten, a wave of guilt washed over her for her misdirected fury at him as she stood in the doorway to their tiny bathroom and watched her husband dry-heave as his body attempted to oust the non-existent contents of his stomach. She grabbed a cloth from the shelf in the linen cupboard and doused it in cool water from the tap, placing it on the back of his neck and resting a soothing hand between his shoulder blades as he choked and coughed, his hands tightly gripping the porcelain bowl. Moving her hand in slow, calming circles, she was dismayed to feel his skin cool and clammy under her touch.

"Oh, honey," she cooed as he collapsed back against the wall, his stomach apparently satisfied that he had nothing left to expel. He was shivering slightly, his body drenched in a thin sheen of sweat. Grabbing a large bath sheet from his hook, she crouched down beside him and tucked the towel around his bare shoulders before placing the back of her hand to his forehead, wincing at the heat that radiated from his face.

"I'm sorry, Lindsay," he mumbled, his eyes closing as she stroked his hair. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

She shushed him, placing a finger to his lips to quell his chanted apologies. "Shh. It's okay, sweetie. Don't be sorry. Shh." She rose and dampened the cloth again, gently wiping his face in the hope of cooling his overheated skin. "Come on, Danny. Let's get you back to bed."

"No, I have to… laundry… and your dinner," he protested feebly as she helped him to stand up.

"Never mind that," she soothed, wrapping her arm around his waist as he wavered unsteadily on his feet. "You just worry about feeling better. Let me worry about the rest."

He offered no further argument as she led him the short distance from the bathroom to their bed. She helped him get settled back on his side, tucking the comforter snugly around him and pressing a soft kiss to his temple.

"Have you eaten anything today, Dan?" she asked, her fingers idly stroking his hair. He stared back at her with slightly glazed eyes and shook his head minutely before squeezing his eyelids shut to stave off another bout of nausea. "Okay, I'm going to get you a glass of water and see if we have something I can give you for your fever. Do you think you could keep down some crackers or maybe some dry toast?"

He murmured something that sounded like "maybe" and Lindsay quietly slipped out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, checking that Lucy was still happily entertaining herself in her high chair. She got out the chicken and some vegetables and set to work making a quick stir-fry.

"Mama?"

"Yes, baby?" Lindsay asked, smiling at Lucy from across the breakfast bar.

"Dis for Dada," she said, proudly holding up the drawing she had been working on. "Div p'ease?"

"Sweetie, Daddy's not feeling well," Lindsay explained. "Maybe you can give it to him later, okay? When he's feeling better." Her heart sank as Lucy's cherubic little face fell.

"Div," she repeated. "For Dada."

Lindsay set down her knife and sighed. Seeing that Danny was sidelined by more than just a run-of-the-mill hangover, she really wasn't all that certain she wanted Lucy exposed to whatever he had caught. The last thing she needed was to have a sick husband and daughter on her hands. Wiping her palms on her jeans, she smiled reassuringly as she pulled out a chair next to Lucy.

"It's beautiful, Lucy. And I'm sure Daddy will love it," she praised. "But let's have our dinner first and then we'll see how Daddy's feeling, okay? Why don't you draw him another picture, and then you can give him two!"

"Too!" Lucy excitedly held out three little fingers. Lindsay smiled and gently folded down one of her digits.

"Two," she corrected. "Good girl, Lucy."

Satisfied that Lucy was content to colour for a few minutes more, Lindsay threw the vegetables in the pan with the chicken and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge before rifling through the medicine cabinet in the bathroom in search of something to help Danny take the edge off his fever. She sighed as she realized that all they had that would fit the bill was a bottle of Children's Tylenol, and she knew that would hardly do for Danny.

"Baby," she whispered, creeping into the bedroom and sitting carefully on the edge of the bed, giving Danny's shoulder a gentle shake. "Honey? Here's your water. You still want that toast? Or I could make you some soup?"

"Soup would be great," he said, sitting up a bit and sipping at the proffered water. "But I'll come make it. You eat your dinner."

"Danny…"

"I'm fine, Linds," he insisted. "I don't want you to fuss over me. It's just a hangover. I did this to myself and now I gotta man up and deal with it."

She wanted to argue with him that it looked like more than just a hangover, but seeing that he was intent upon getting up, Lindsay moved so he could lift the blankets and swing his legs over the side of the bed. He shivered as his bare feet touched the cold floor and Lindsay quickly grabbed a pair of socks and his sweats from his drawer, setting them on the bed beside him. Knowing that any offer she made to help him would be met with further resistance, she left him in peace to finish getting dressed and went back to the kitchen to get dinner on the table for herself and Lucy.

She had just sat down at the table with her plate in front of her, Lucy gleefully smushing handfuls of rice and veggies into her face, when she heard Danny shuffling slowly down the hall. He rooted around in the cupboards and she heard the whizz of the electric can opener and the beep of the microwave as he set the timer to heat up his soup.

She looked up and smiled when she felt his hand on the back of her head, his fingers softly stroking her hair.

"Dada!" Lucy bellowed, spewing chunks of her dinner all over her tray in her excitement at seeing her father. "Dada, Yoo-see fo' yoo! Yoo-see fo' yoo!" She pointed a chubby, rice-covered finger at her pictures which Lindsay had set aside for later, leaning over the side of her chair and grunting in frustration as she tried to reach them, her little fingers wiggling in earnest. "Mama!" she wailed when it was clear they were beyond her grasp.

"Shh, shh," Danny soothed, walking around the table and sitting down at his usual place across from Lindsay and beside his daughter. He picked up the pictures and smiled tiredly down at them. "Aw, these are beautiful, baby."

"Yoo-see fo' Dada," Lucy said proudly, grinning at her Daddy. "Pwetty?"

"Very pretty," Danny replied. "Thank you, sweetheart."

"You okay?" Lindsay asked, scraping the last of her dinner from her plate and into her mouth. Danny nodded his head and tried his best to smile brightly, although Lindsay wasn't convinced. "Have you been sick like that all day?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "On and off. I felt alright when I woke up this morning, aside from a splitting headache," he smiled ruefully at her. "But I went right back to sleep after you left and I just…" He paused, scrubbing his hands over his face, "… I've been hot and cold all day and when I tried to eat some lunch… well, let's just say it didn't go down so well. I tried getting up a couple times, but I just felt like such cra -" he stopped himself, glancing at Lucy before he continued, "- I mean, I felt so lousy, I just rolled over and went back to sleep. I had no idea it was so late." Reaching across the table, he touched his fingers to the back of her hand. "I'm sorry, honey. I really did mean to get that stuff done for you today."

"I was ready to murder you when I got home," Lindsay admitted, somewhat shamefacedly. The timer went on the microwave and Danny got up and slowly made his way into the kitchen to retrieve his soup.

"You probably would have been doing me a favour, putting me out of my misery," he said, sitting back down and staring at the bowl of broth and noodles in front of him. "How was your day?"

"The usual," Lindsay sighed, leaning over to scoop some of Lucy's mess back onto her plate from where it had fallen onto the tray of her high chair. "Stella and I had to go to a strip club and confiscate all of the dancers' costumes. Spent most of our day pawing through piles of lingerie. You would have had a blast."

"Sorry I missed it," Danny smirked before taking a tentative slurp of his soup. He made a face and pushed the bowl away from him, crossing his arms over his stomach and resting his forehead against the cool wood of the table top.

"Oh, baby," Lindsay said, getting up and rounding the table. She placed her hands comfortingly on his shoulders and gave him a gentle squeeze. "You should go back to bed, Danny."

"But I don't want to," he moaned. "I'm fine. I really am." He sat up and gave her a weary smile. "I wanna stay up with you guys. I missed my girls today." He reached up and took one of her hands from his shoulder, interlacing their fingers.

Lindsay planted a kiss to the crown of his head, placing her other hand on his brow and frowning at his still elevated temperature. "God, you're so hot, Danny."

"Thank you. I try."

He shot her a devilish grin and she was glad to see that despite the fact that he felt like crap, he was still trying to help lighten her mood.

"Tell you what," she offered, "Give me a few minutes to get the kitchen cleaned up and we can all spend some time together before Lucy and you have to go to bed."

"That sound good to you, Luce?" Danny asked.

At her father's question, Lucy looked up from her dinner and grinned at him. "Dammit!"

Danny's eyes widened and he glanced up at his wife. "I didn't teach her that!" he said, rushing to plead his innocence.

"No, I know you didn't," Lindsay sighed. "I did."

"Uh, oh!" Danny chuckled. "Lucy, did Mommy teach you a bad word?"

"Yup," she said, turning her attention back to her dinner and smearing an even coating of rice across her tray. "Mama naw-tee."

"Yeah, Mommy can be pretty naughty when she wants to be."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and began to clear the table. "Watch it, buster. Don't think that just because you're sick that I'm going to let you get away with a comment like that," she informed him over her shoulder. "If you're not careful, I may not feel like being naughty the next time you're in the mood."

"Duly noted," Danny said, catching the damp washcloth Lindsay had chucked at him from the kitchen. He scootched his chair closer to Lucy, trying to wipe her hands and face while she squirmed and wailed in her high chair, kicking her legs and protesting loudly. "Lucy, that's enough," he said firmly. "Come on, knock it off."

"No! All done!"

He sat back and pinched the bridge of his nose as Lucy continued to thrash around dramatically in her chair. "God, you'd think I was trying to saw your leg off or something," he muttered under his breath. Sitting up straighter, he fixed his daughter with an weary stare. "Alright, Lucy. Here's the deal. You let Daddy wash your face and we can make a pretty picture for Mommy. Would you like that?"

Lucy jutted out her lower lip and glared pointedly at the washcloth. "No dat."

"Suit yourself," Danny sighed, grabbing a piece of paper and picking up her crayons.

From the kitchen, Lindsay watched the pair of them out of the corner of her eye. She could see that Danny was completely drained of all his energy, but he was trying – and surprisingly, he was succeeding – in getting Lucy to cooperate. She smiled as he hunched over his paper, Lucy straining to see what he was drawing, her interest piqued and her tantrum forgotten.

"Dat, Dada?"

"It's my picture."

"An' me too?"

"You wanna colour too?"

"Yah!" Lucy nodded her head excitedly. "An' Yoo-see too!"

Lindsay smiled as Danny pretended to think. "I dunno," he mused. "What do you think, Mommy? Can Lucy colour with dirty fingers?"

"Nope," Lindsay said, shaking her head. "It's against the rules."

As she loaded the dishwasher, Lindsay watched as Lucy stared down at her chubby little hands. She leaned forward, reaching for the washcloth and Danny subtly nudged it close enough for her to grab. Concentrating hard, Lucy did her best to wipe the bigger globs of food from her hands, but she quickly got frustrated, not quite able to do as good a job as her parents.

"Dada?"

"Yes, Lucybear?"

"Hewp p'ease."

Lindsay shared a victorious smile with her husband before he took the cloth from Lucy's hands and helped her finish cleaning off her hands and face.

"Wow, Luce. You did such a good job!" Danny praised when she was done. "You're all squeaky clean!"

"S'kee-kee! Mama, Yoo-see s'kee-kee!"

"Are you? Good for you, baby!"

Finished in the kitchen, Lindsay joined her family at the table, picking up a handful of crayons and beginning to colour in the corner of the piece of paper that Danny and Lucy were now sharing.

* * *

Lindsay quietly closed the door to her daughter's bedroom and walked softly down the hall. Entering the living room, she saw Danny had wrapped himself in a blanket and curled up in a tight ball on the couch. Even from where she was standing she could hear the faint chatter of his teeth as he shivered despite the heavy layers of his sweats, his housecoat and the blanket.

"Danny?" she whispered, crouching down in front of him and laying a hand on his shoulder.

He opened his eyes and gave her a wan smile. "Linds… I think I'm sick."

"I know, baby," she said, tangling her fingers in his hair and gently massaging his scalp.

"I never get sick," he mumbled. "This sucks."

"I know it does."

He'd lasted longer than she'd thought he would. Lindsay had made him a cup of hot tea and when Lucy had tired of colouring at the table, they'd moved en masse into the living room where Danny had lain with his head on Lindsay's lap while Lucy proceeded to run around the room, babbling animatedly as she brought out all of her toys and proceeded to show them off to her parents, both of them expressing just the right amount of enthusiasm and praise at each item before it was dropped on the floor and another was brought forth for their admiration.

Hearing Danny's even breathing, Lindsay had glanced down at him. Seeing that he was asleep, she'd carefully extricated herself from the couch and helped Lucy clean up her toys before getting her bathed and into her PJs, ready for her story and her goodnight kisses and cuddles. Finally, Lucy had been put to bed, the kitchen was relatively tidy, the laundry could wait for another day and Lindsay was exhausted. She just wanted to collapse into her own bed and relax until the strain of the day was a distant memory.

"You look tired, Montana," Danny said, reaching out from his cocoon and stroking her cheek. "You ready for bed?"

"So ready, Dan." She stood and held out her hand to help him up, but he burrowed further under the blankets. "Aren't you coming?"

"I don't want you to get sick too," he said miserably. "You take the bed. I'll sleep out here." He looked up at her and grinned. "It's closer to the bathroom, anyway."

"It is not," she protested, standing with her hands on her hips. "Don't be ridiculous. I'm not letting you sleep out here." She bent and placed a kiss to his temple. "Now come on and get your germ-ridden butt into bed, mister. That's an order."

"Hmph," Danny huffed. "You this mean to all your patients, Nurse Ratched?"

"No. Just you," she said, taking his hand and hauling him to his feet. "You're a special case."

"Yeah? Well to be honest, I don't think I'm up for any special treatment tonight, babe," Danny said, giving her a cheeky albeit weary grin.

"Alright. I guess I can let you off the hook tonight," she teased, leading him into the bedroom and helping him crawl under the warm covers. "Besides, I have it on good authority that my cuddles are the best medicine anyway; they make everything better."

"Oh yeah? Who told you that?" Danny asked as he watched her change into her pyjamas.

"Lucy... maybe not in so many words."

"Ah. Well who am I to argue then?"

She smiled at him, settling herself on the bed beside him and tucking the comforter tightly around them both before curling her body around Danny's, offering him her warmth.

"Good night, Danny. I love you."

"You too, Lindsay," he yawned.

"Danny?"

"Hmm?"

"Don't throw up on me, okay?"

"Wiseass. Go to sleep."

She chuckled and reached out to turn off the bedside lamp, sleep overtaking her the moment her head hit the pillow.

**

* * *

So… what do we think? **

**I really hope it doesn't disappoint, especially after you've all waited so very patiently. I had a hard time keeping this chapter light, for some reason. It kept getting very dark and heavy, which wasn't what I wanted at all, and I hope that doesn't come across here. Yes, Danny is sick. But it's only the flu or some other stomach bug. Nothing too angsty. Basically, I just wanted to have a good excuse to let Lindsay shine, taking care of the people that mean the most to her.**

**I hope you all know that your reviews and comments go a long way toward inspiring me, so please let me know what you thought!**


	40. A Better Day

**A/N: So… this is me keeping my promise. **

"**What promise?" you ask? **

**My promise to try and update this story more often, silly! **

**Now that I've gotten that out of the way, can I just point out that we are on CHAPTER 40? OMG! *does the whole Macaulay Culkin "Home Alone" face smack thing* I am just gobsmacked. I started this story 10 months (and 40 CHAPTERS!) ago without a clue as to how all you wonderful readers would embrace it with such enthusiasm. Thank you all so much for your continued support. It just blows my mind thinking about the fact that some of you have been cheering this one on since Day One… that's a whole lot of dedication on your part. And I love the fact that others are picking it up along the way. You all deserve a huge round of applause!**

**So, without further ado I present you with *drum roll please* Chapter 40 (gah!) of High School Daze!**

* * *

"Come on already, Linds! You almost done in there?"

"Almost. Just one more."

She heard Danny groan. "But we've been at this for hours!" he whined. "Remind me why I have to be here again?"

They both had the day off and Lucy was spending the morning on a play date with one of her little friends from day care. So Lindsay had taken the opportunity to drag Danny to La Jolie Boutique, a formal dress shop that was conveniently located only a few blocks from their apartment. Danny's cousin Dario was getting married in a few weeks time and she'd been putting off getting a dress for months – telling herself that she was holding off until she lost those last few pounds of her baby weight – a bit of a moot point now that they were trying to get pregnant again. But the date was closing in on her and she realized she had to pick something soon, or else she would wind up wearing something from her own closet – and she didn't really have anything appropriate for what the invitation listed as a Black Tie event.

The saleswoman had helped her pick out piles upon piles of cocktail dresses to try on ranging from the simple and understated to the more avant-garde and couture. It had been ages since she'd had a chance to play dress-up like this and she was having a great time, although she knew that Danny's patience had begun to wane about 45 minutes ago. In all fairness she had to commend him; he had been relatively helpful up to that point, but now he was getting antsy and bored, and he wanted to go. Lindsay had to admit that she was about done herself. She could feel her frustration rising as none of the dresses she'd tried on really felt like _the one_, despite the saleswoman's reassurance that she looked "like a goddess" in each and every one.

She stuck her head out of the curtained change room and glared at her husband. "Because it's _your_ cousin that's getting married," she replied tartly. "And I know that as his Best Man you get your tux picked out for you, but I don't have that luxury. And I want your opinion."

"Well, hurry it up," he sighed. "I'm hungry." He patted his so-called empty stomach, jutting his lower lip out imploringly.

She rolled her eyes at him and snapped the curtain closed once again. "Yeah, I'm sure you're just wasting away out there," Lindsay teased, taking a strapless purple dress from its hanger and stepping into it. She pulled it up and reached around to do up the zipper, getting it about halfway up her back before she got stuck. She grunted and huffed, her fingers just not quite able to reach the little metal tab and get it up those last few inches.

"Linds? You okay?"

"I'm fine. I just… I can't… mmph… reach… mmph… the zipper…"

"Need a little help?"

Lindsay scoffed. "I said I needed help getting the zipper _up_, babe. Not exactly your area of expertise when it comes to my clothes. You're much better at taking them off."

"Well, we all like to do what we're good at," he chuckled wickedly and she turned to see the curtain twitch aside and her husband steal quickly into the small booth with her, his eyes glinting with mischief.

"Danny!" she hissed, trying to shove him back out of the change room with one hand while the other clutched at the front of her dress, trying to keep it from slipping down her chest and encouraging him. "You can't be in here! Get out! Out!"

"Relax, Montana," he drawled, stepping closer and placing his hands on her shoulders, turning her so she was facing the mirror. She glared at his reflection, a wide smirk plastered on his face as he let his hands skim slowly down her shoulder blades, his soft touch causing the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end as he toyed with the fabric at the back of her dress. She let out a little gasp when he neatly zipped her up and pressed a light kiss to her shoulder. "You look beautiful, sweetheart." Then he was gone, the rustle of the curtain behind him and the lingering warmth of his lips on her skin the only evidence he had even been there.

She shook her head and smiled at her reflection. Sometimes that man drove her absolutely insane. Pulling aside the curtain she smiled shyly at Danny, once again settled in his seat in what he had christened the '_whipped husbands'_ area. He was flipping through a bridal magazine but his eyes were trained on her and he wiggled his eyebrows playfully at her.

"Stop it," she chastised him lightly as she walked over to the wall of mirrors and stepped up onto the small pedestal. She turned this way and that, trying to view the dress from every angle, her face screwed up in concentration as she analyzed the way it hung from her body. Finally she turned and faced her husband. "So?" she asked, giving him a little twirl. "What do you think?"

"Babe, I already told you – you look beautiful."

"But you said that about the last five dresses," she moaned, her shoulders sagging. "Please? What do you really think? Do you like it?"

Danny lolled his head back and let out a long-suffering sigh before pushing himself up out of his chair, walking in a slow circle around her, his lips pursed and one arm crossed over his chest while the other hand stroked his chin thoughtfully. He hemmed and hawed, reaching out to touch the fabric, then turning and standing back, raking his eyes critically up and down her body.

Satisfied, he waved his arms flamboyantly in the air. "You look absolutely fabulous, darling!" he declared, affecting a slight lisp. "Positively divine!"

Seeing the slightly exasperated expression on his wife's face, Danny dropped his act and stepped back toward her with a smile. "Sorry, babe. Totally serious? You look beautiful in everything -" She began to protest, but he interrupted her. "- Ah, ah! Not done yet," he assured her. "As I was saying, you always look beautiful to me, but if I had to pick a favourite… I like this one best."

"Really?"

"Definitely. Very sexy," he assured her, trailing his eyes up and down her body appreciatively and nodding his head. "But not too sexy. I don't want other guys falling all over themselves to get to you. You're mine and I ain't sharing."

She beamed at him and he held out his hand to help her down from the pedestal, pulling her into a tight hug. She nuzzled into his neck as he pressed a kiss to her temple. "Now can we please go? I'm starving."

"Danny!"

"Kidding! I'm kidding!" He chuckled as she swatted at him.

"Let me go, you big jerk," she giggled. "I need to go get changed."

He smirked, pulling her closer so he could whisper in her ear. "You let me know if you need a little help in there. I mean, we know the zipper goes up, but…" He trailed off, smiling as she pressed a kiss to his cheek.

"I think I can manage," she said, stepping out of his arms and heading back to the change room. She paused in the doorway, winking at him over her shoulder. "But maybe I'll let you take it for a test drive later if you behave yourself."

"Yes ma'am," he said, quickly retaking his seat in the armchair and flashing her a cheeky smile that belied his innocence.

As Lindsay stepped back into the change room, she couldn't suppress the wide grin on her face. Yes, he drove her absolutely insane… but she wouldn't have him any other way.

* * *

After she had changed and they had paid for the dress, Danny offered to take Lindsay out for lunch before they picked Lucy up from her play date. They stopped and picked up a couple of sandwiches at their favourite deli, electing to sit outside and enjoy the sunshine instead of holing up inside a restaurant.

Hand in hand, they made their way over to a park bench and sat down. Danny carefully laid the garment bag containing Lindsay's new dress over the back of the bench before taking a seat beside her.

"Here you go – BLT on sourdough," Lindsay said, handing Danny his sandwich.

"Thanks, babe," he replied, unwrapping it and taking a large bite. "Mmm… s'good."

"Don't talk with your mouth full," Lindsay chastised him before she pealed back the wrappings on her own sandwich and took a much more dainty bite. She chewed and swallowed, all the while mindful of Danny's eyes on her. "What?" she asked.

"You are so predictable," he smirked with a shake of his head. "You and your Corned Beef sandwich. Maybe I should leave the two of you alone so you can have some private time with the love of your life."

"Well at least my sandwich doesn't talk back," Lindsay teased. They'd first started going to the deli a few years ago, back when they had still been dating, and she'd instantly fallen in love with their Corned Beef on Rye. No matter how many times Lindsay told herself she was going to try something else, she always chickened out at the last second and went back to her old standby, much to Danny's amusement. "But it doesn't hold a candle to you, baby. I love you."

She pursed her lips and tilted her face up to him, silently asking for a kiss, and Danny was all too happy to oblige.

"Careful, Montana," he said, pulling back and smiling at her. "Flattery will get you everywhere."

They ate their meal in contented silence, Lindsay pretending not to notice when Danny reached over and stole her pickle, while he turned a blind eye to her blatant theft of his coleslaw. When they were done, Lindsay stuffed their empty wrappings back into the paper bag, setting it beside her on the bench and resting her head against Danny's shoulder.

"Mmm. That was so good," she sighed. She looked up at Danny and smiled. "You seem to have gotten your appetite back. You practically inhaled your sandwich."

"What? It was good. Very bacon-y," he said, smacking his lips.

"Bacon-y? Is that your word of the day?" He grinned at her and she rolled her eyes, settling back down against his shoulder. "I'm just glad you're feeling better. I hated seeing you sick like that."

"Well, I hated being sick like that," Danny said, grimacing at the memory. He'd tried to deny the fact that he was sick, stubbornly heading into work the morning after Lindsay had caught him lounging miserably in bed all day. But Hawkes had taken one look at him and told Mac to send Danny home. Which Danny had gratefully done… right after throwing up in a garbage can in the break room. "I felt like such a lazy bastard taking three days off work just for a stomach bug. It sucked."

"I know it did, baby," Lindsay sympathised. "Luckily you had me around to look after you."

Danny smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her snugly into his side. "Mmm. What can I say? I'm a lucky guy." He pressed a kiss to her hair and gently rubbed her arm. "Love you."

"Mmm… I love you too," Lindsay replied, pecking him on the lips. "Thank you for coming with me today. I know it wasn't exactly how you wanted to spend your morning, but I really appreciate it."

"Hey, don't sweat it, Linds," he replied. "Any excuse to spend a little extra time with my pretty wife is A-OK in my book." She smiled up at him, resting her hand on his thigh and giving his leg a squeeze. "Even if that one dress did make you look like a traffic cone."

Lindsay laughed out loud. "Really? A traffic cone? Thanks Dan. Thanks a lot."

She shook her head and smiled as she thought back to earlier that morning. She had grown weary of Danny's pat responses to the dresses she was trying on, but the last straw had been when she'd emerged from the change room to ask for his opinion and he hadn't even bothered to look up from the magazine he was reading; simply grunting his acknowledgment when she asked if he liked what she was wearing. So she'd stomped back into the change room, intent on teaching him a lesson.

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

_Reaching for a particularly hideous dress the saleswoman had selected, Lindsay put it on, cringing at her reflection in the mirror. The dress was a shiny day-glo orange with ruffles, huge, poofy cap sleeves and an enormous bow on the back. According to the saleswoman it was very "hip and now", and Lindsay had to bite her tongue to stop herself from asking if the woman had had her eyes checked recently. It was a truly gruesome sight. _

_She stepped out of the change room and smiled as she saw Danny was deeply engrossed in playing some kind of game on his phone. _

_Perfect._

"_Babe? How about this one?"_

"_Yeah… it's great…" he replied distractedly, never taking his eyes off his phone._

"_You think so?" she asked. "Good. Because I really like it. I think it's the one."_

_Danny heaved a sigh of relief, pausing his game and tucking his phone into his pocket. And then he looked up._

"_Uh…"_

_The look on his face had been priceless. Absolutely priceless. Lindsay was really kicking herself for not having had the foresight to grab her own phone, because she would have given anything to be able to whip out that picture over and over again whenever she needed a good laugh. He gaped at her, his mouth moving but no sound coming out as his eyes widened in abject horror. He glanced nervously up at her face and she quickly arranged her features in an attempt to mask the fact that she was really enjoying her little game._

"_Something wrong, Dan?" she asked. "You do like it, don't you? I think it looks great. Very flattering. And this colour is just perfect."_

"_Uh… um…" She could practically see the wheels spinning in his head as he tried to come up with some response that wouldn't get him into trouble. He cleared his throat a couple of times, stalling as he glanced around the boutique looking for help. "It's… ahem… well, I think… Wow. It's, uh… it's different."_

"_I know. No one else will be wearing anything like it."_

"_Yeah, nope. I think that's a pretty safe bet."_

"_Alright. You go pay for it and I'll just get changed. Then we can go."_

_Lindsay fought hard to bite back a giggle. She could have sworn Danny's heart may have actually stopped beating right then and there. He swallowed hard, tugging on the collar of his jacket._

"_You, um… you sure there isn't anything else you wanna try on?" he asked, the slightest hint of panic in his voice. "I mean…obviously you're beautiful baby, but um… I'm not sure… that dress isn't... it doesn't…"_

"_Dan? Danny?" Lindsay tried to cut off his rambling, finally getting his attention with a loud, "Daniel!"_

"_What?"_

"_I'm kidding."_

_Danny furrowed his brow. "About what?"_

_She finally allowed the smile she'd been holding back to spread across her face. "About this dress."_

_He blinked at her. "I'm sorry? I'm confused. You… don't like it?" he asked cautiously._

"_Are you kidding me?" she asked, giving an exaggerated shudder. "It's hideous."_

"_Oh, thank God," Danny sighed, his relief evident on his face and in his voice. "Thank God. You scared the shit out of me there for a minute."_

"_Serves you right," Lindsay scolded him. "You were supposed to be paying attention."_

"_Yeah, well we were only supposed to be here for one hour – tops," Danny shot back, his impatience creeping into his tone. "It's already been over an hour and a half and you've still got about ten billion dresses back there to try on. I'm dying out here, Linds! So excuse me for trying to amuse myself."_

_Lindsay's expression softened. "You're right," she admitted. "I'm sorry, baby." She took a few steps toward him, resting her hands on the arm of his chair and leaning in to kiss the top of his head. "I promise to make it up to you."_

_He looked up at her, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. "What did you have in mind?"_

"_Wouldn't you like to know?" she teased, as she flounced back to the change room._

-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-

"You're just a little bit proud of yourself for pulling one over on me, aren't you?" Danny asked. Lindsay grinned up at him and he shook his head. "I should have called your bluff; made you think I was gonna let you buy that… thing." He grimaced at the mere thought.

"Yeah well, shoulda, woulda, coulda," Lindsay said, giving his cheek a patronizing little pat. "Face it. You were terrified. I could see it all over your face."

Danny shook his head. "You are an evil, evil woman."

"Well, I learned from the best."

"Who? Flack?" Danny teased. "The man does take his revenge seriously."

"Well, I was actually talking about you," Lindsay said, poking him in the chest. "But you have a point… he did get us pretty good there a few times." She chuckled lightly as she remembered him showing up at their place in his HazMat suit, and the collection of western paraphernalia that had descended upon their living room. She glanced up at Danny, her expression turning slightly more serious. "Are you two alright?" she inquired.

"Hmm? Who – me and Flack?" Danny asked, slightly confused by her question. "Yeah. Of course we are. Why?"

"Danny… the two of you were three sheets to the wind when you came home after your night out last week. And you never drink like that. I thought that maybe… well, I was worried that something had happened."

Danny sighed, resting his cheek against the top of her head. "No, nothing really happened," he began. "We went to Sullivan's after paint ball was over and we said we were just gonna have one beer. And we did."

Lindsay looked up at him, puzzled. "You got that wasted off one beer?"

"Please. I'm not that much of a lightweight," Danny scoffed. "No, it was the three pitchers and the five shots of tequila that followed that really did it."

"But why, baby?"

"Honestly? I felt guilty," Danny said simply. "When we were on our way to Sullivan's, we got to talking about Angell a little bit. And what happened to me after the shooting. We were both feeling a little down, I guess. So after that first beer, I started making noises like I better get going. I was looking forward to coming home and seeing you, you know? But Flack… when I said I was gonna go he just… Linds, he looked so lonely." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I just couldn't leave him like that, so I stayed for another drink. And then another and then another…"

"He still misses her, doesn't he?"

Danny smiled sadly at her, clutching her more tightly to his side. "I don't think you ever really stop missing someone that's meant that much to you, you know?" he said. "But usually he's okay. I think us talking about it just kinda raked it all up for him again."

"Well I'm glad that you stayed with him then," Lindsay said, reaching up and cupping his scruffy cheek in her hand. "Even if you guys did get a little silly."

"Ugh. Don't remind me," Danny grimaced. "I am never drinking that much again. Ever."

Lindsay grinned at him. "Promises, promises," she teased. "Seriously though, Dan. I know you two have been friends for a long time – long before I came into the picture. And you know I think the world of Don, I really do. I have no problem if you feel like you guys need to go off and do some crazy male-bonding thing every once in a while."

"Yeah?"

"Of course. Just as long as you remember to come home to me – preferably alone next time – at the end of the night."

Danny chuckled and bent his head to capture her mouth in a slow, tender kiss. "You got it babe," he whispered against her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him close as they shared a series of soft, loving kisses, only breaking apart when Danny's cell phone began to buzz in his pocket. "Fuck," he muttered fumbling with the device. He glanced down at the caller ID and gave Lindsay a wry smile. "Guess who?" he asked before pressing the phone to his ear. "Messer."

Lindsay sighed, resting her head against his shoulder as she listened to one half of his conversation. She heard Danny protesting that it was his day off before he let out a frustrated groan.

"Fine," he grumbled. "But you owe me so big for this. Just text me the address and I'll meet you there as soon as I can."

She watched him pocket his phone before scrubbing his face with his hands.

"You have to go?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"Yeah," he said miserably. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. There was a big shooting at a bank uptown and they're a little overwhelmed at the scene. I should only be a few hours… Flack said Mac doesn't think they'll need me in the lab after we're done processing, but we'll see."

"Do they need an extra set of hands?" Lindsay asked. "I could always call Alex's mom and see if she would mind keeping Lucy for the afternoon too."

"No, no," Danny shook his head. "No, you enjoy the rest of your day off, babe. You deserve it after the week you had - looking after my sorry ass when I was sick." He kissed her temple and smiled. "You have no idea how much I appreciate the offer though. Thank you."

"You're welcome," Lindsay replied as Danny got to his feet and held his hand out to help her up. She glanced at her watch. "You'd better get going. You going home first?"

"Yeah," Danny nodded. "Gotta get my badge and gun. I'll take your dress home with me if you want – you can just worry about picking up Luce."

"I love you," Lindsay said, pulling him close and pressing a chaste kiss to his lips. "Be safe."

"Always am," Danny replied, giving her a quick squeeze before he grabbed the garment bag from the back of the bench and draped it over his arm. "I'll give you a call when I get a chance."

Lindsay watched him go, feeling torn. She had been looking forward to the three of them getting to spend some quality time together that afternoon. But now she wasn't sure what to do. She wanted to go pick Lucy up from her play date… but if she went to the scene to help out, she and Danny could both come home together a lot sooner than if he was left to help with the processing on his own. But then again, getting to spend the entire afternoon alone with her daughter? That was an opportunity that didn't present itself all that often.

She realized that she didn't have a decision to make. Danny had told her to enjoy the rest of her day off, and she was going to do just that. Her mind awhirl with what she and Lucy could get up to while left to their own devices for a few hours, she smiled and began to walk the four blocks to go pick up her daughter.

**

* * *

So? What did we think? Did we enjoy the fluff? And the banter?**

**I had a few requests to see Lindsay and Danny have a talk about why he and Flack got so drunk and also for some quality Lindsay/Lucy time. Well… I addressed one of those requests in this chapter and the other is coming up in the next. Don't say I never listen to your suggestions, people! **

**Like what you've read? Want to see more? I'd love to hear from you! **

**Note****: You probab ly noticed that this chapter had a flashback and that I didn't provide my usual (and probably unnecessary) disclaimer at the top alerting you to watch out for the italics. I just figured you guys are pretty clever and could work out on your own what was going on. Please let me know for future chapters/stories if you prefer a bit of a warning beforehand. **

***rhymes***


	41. A Day in the Life

**A/N: Another update for you all – thank you so much for the amazing response for the big Chapter 4-0. I was absolutely floored by all the wonderful things you guys had to say. I loved getting to write the two of them sharing their morning together like that – just doing something that regular couples do. And if we get to see Danny totally outside his comfort zone like that? Well, all the better in my opinion!**

**This next chapter is a direct continuation of the last… we pick up with Lindsay and Danny as they carry on with their days. There's something for everyone here – fluff, family time, Flack being a jackass… and maybe a little something-something for those of you who stick it out all the way to the end of the chapter! ;)**

**Cheers, guys. Enjoy!**

* * *

"Oh hey, Lindsay. Come on in."

"Hi Sarah," Lindsay said as she stepped into the apartment. "Thanks."

Sarah Whitman smiled, closing the door behind Lindsay. "The girls are just finishing lunch. You want some tea or coffee or something?"

"Um… sure. Whatever you're having," Lindsay said, kicking off her shoes and following Sarah into the kitchen where she saw Lucy and her friend happily eating their lunches. Alex was a few months older than Lucy, and Lindsay smiled at how the age difference manifested itself in their eating habits. While Alex was munching fairly neatly on her cheese sandwich, Lucy had disassembled hers and was smooshing the individual components into her mouth.

"Lucy, look who's here!" Sarah said, gesturing to Lindsay. Looking up from her meal, Lucy's eyes went wide with excitement.

"Mama!" she shrieked through a mouthful of food. "Mama! Hi Mama!"

"Hi baby," Lindsay said, leaning down and planting a kiss to the top of Lucy's blond head. "Have you been a good girl for Alex and her mommy?"

"Yup," Lucy replied, grinning at her mother and offering her a handful of crumbled bread and cheese. "Nom nom?"

"Oh, no thank you, Lucy. Mommy already had lunch." She gently stroked Lucy's curls, smiling as her daughter turned her attention back to her meal. "Hi Alex. How are you? Did you and Lucy have fun?"

Alex stared at Lindsay with wide brown eyes, shyly nodding her head.

"Alex, you don't have to be shy, sweetie," Sarah said, handing Lindsay a cup of coffee and taking a seat at the table with the little girls. "This is Lucy's mommy. You remember her from daycare!"

Alex shifted her gaze between Lindsay and Sarah, reaching out and grabbing her sippy cup from the table and holding it out to Lindsay. "Doos?"

"Oh, thank you, Alex," Lindsay replied, beaming at the adorable little girl. "But you drink your juice. I've got my coffee."

Alex glanced back to her mother before taking a tentative sip of her juice.

"Have a seat, Lindsay," Sarah said, gesturing to the empty seat across the table from her. "So… how was your morning? Did you get all your errands done?"

Lindsay chuckled as she sipped at her coffee. "Almost. I got a dress for the wedding Danny and I are going to in a few weeks… but it took a little longer than we thought."

"Ah, and speaking of Danny… where is he? I thought you guys had the day off together."

"Well, we did," Lindsay sighed, wrapping her hands around the warm mug and breathing in the rich, delicious aroma. "But he got called in to work at the last minute."

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Sarah said. "That sucks. I don't know how you two do what you do – seeing all that violence everyday. And the hours you work..." She shook her head. "I guess Jim and I have it pretty easy – we don't get called in for teaching emergencies on the weekends all that often." She gave Lindsay a sympathetic smile. "But at least you got the morning together, right?"

"Yeah. And we had fun… or, well I had fun. I think Danny was kind of bored by the whole thing. It was a little out of his element."

"Well, if he's anything like my husband, the second he sees you all dolled up in your dress, the suffering he went through to help pick it out will be well worth it."

Lindsay grinned. "Actually, that sounds a lot like Danny."

"Men are just so predictable," Sarah said, giving Lindsay a conspiratorial wink. "They're all alike."

"Don't tell Danny that," Lindsay quipped. "He thinks he's one-of-a-kind."

The two women shared knowing smiles and Lindsay marvelled at how nice it was to sit and talk with someone like Sarah. They were both young working mothers, their daughters were only months apart in age, and although they didn't know one another all that well yet – Sarah and her husband were new to New York and so far they'd really only exchanged pleasantries as they passed one another at daycare – they had quickly established a rapport with one another.

"Oh… looks like someone's getting sleepy," Sarah said, nodding over at Lucy. Lindsay turned to see her daughter yawn tiredly, rubbing her eyes with her little fists.

"Lucy, honey," Lindsay said as she reached over and gently wiped a smudge of cheese from Lucy's cheek. "Are you sleepy?" Lucy blinked at her, stuffing her thumb into her mouth and nodding her head. "Alright. I'd better get her home. It's past her naptime."

Lindsay gratefully accepted the cloth Sarah handed her, preparing herself for the usual kerfuffle that arose whenever someone tried to wash Lucy's face. But her little girl was so exhausted from her morning of playing that all she could muster was an irritated grunt when Lindsay began to wipe her hands and face.

She soon had Lucy cleaned up and tucked into her stroller along with her diaper bag and her toys.

"Thanks again for having her, Sarah," Lindsay said as she donned her jacket and stepped into her shoes. "Next time, we'll have Alex over at our place if you like. Give you and Jim the morning off."

"That sounds great," Sarah replied with a smile, holding the door open wide so Lindsay could manoeuvre the stroller out into the hall. She bent and peered down at Lucy. "Bye-bye, sweetie. Thank you for being such a good girl today!"

Lucy waved goodbye at Sarah by way of wiggling her fingers as her eyes drooped closed.

"See you later," Lindsay said, giving Sarah and Alex a wave over her shoulder as she pushed the stroller toward the elevators.

* * *

Danny Messer was grumbling to himself about all the things he could be doing on his day off instead of trawling through dumpsters looking for a murder weapon. Which is what he had been doing for the past 45 minutes.

"Fucking disgusting shit," he muttered as he shoved aside a leaky and overflowing garbage bag filled with rotting food. He glared over the lip of the dumpster at Flack who was standing across the narrow alley way watching Danny toil away in the muck with a smug smirk on his face. "This is your fault, you lazy bastard. If I'd known you wanted me here for garbage duty, I would have told you to go fuck yourself."

"Whoa, hey Danno. Easy there," Flack chuckled, raising his hands in self-defence at Danny's verbal onslaught. "You're the one with the science degree. I ain't qualified to go digging through trash. That's why they pay me to stand here and look pretty."

Danny let out a derisive snort. "Yeah, well then you're overpaid."

"Quit your bitchin' you big baby. It's not that bad…" Flack began, taking a step toward the dumpster, pausing when he caught a whiff of its contents. He scrunched up his face in disgust and stepped back to his previous position before continuing. "Okay, so maybe it is that bad."

"Why do crooks always toss their weapons into dumpsters?" Danny huffed. "It's just so goddamn inconsiderate. Don't they realize someone's gotta go through all this shit looking for 'em?"

Flack chuckled. "Tell you what, Dan. We catch these guys, you can ask them yourself. How's that sound?" He waited for a response from Danny, but all he could hear was the rustle of plastic bags and other junk being tossed around inside the dumpster. "Danno?"

"Well," Danny said as he poked his head over the edge of the dumpster, a triumphant smirk on his face. "We're one step closer to finding them. Look what I found!" He held up three 9mm semi-automatic pistols. "Grab me some evidence bags from my kit, will ya?"

Flack took the bags from the supply in Danny's kit, holding them open while turning up his nose to avoid the stench from the garbage as he approached the dumpster. Danny carefully placed the guns into the bags and Flack quickly retreated a safe distance while Danny heaved himself over the edge and back onto terra firma.

"Ugh," Danny groaned, giving an exaggerated shudder as he glanced down at the stains that marred the blue coveralls he'd put on over his own clothes. He quickly snapped off his gloves and unzipped the coveralls, shrugging them off his shoulders and down his arms so they hung loosely from his waist. He grabbed his kit, taking the bagged guns from Flack and together they made their way back down the alley toward the bustling city street.

The area in front of the bank was still roped off and a crowd of onlookers had gathered to try and catch a glimpse of the goings on inside. A man had entered earlier that morning, quietly waiting for his turn in line. When he'd finally approached the teller, he'd brought his gun from his pocket and shot her, causing mass panic. He'd fired wildly around the bank, sending clients and staff diving to the floors for cover and while everyone had been focused on the chaos, his similarly armed co-conspirators had slunk behind the wickets, emptying the tills of all their money and forcing the manager to open the vault for them before they took off down the alley way – apparently discarding their guns along the way.

The teller had died en route to the hospital and several bystanders were injured. The CSIs were overrun with evidence – bullet fragments, video surveillance, witness accounts, not to mention the trace evidence the perps themselves had left behind. And now, Danny could add the guns to the growing list. Hopefully any potentially identifying evidence hadn't been contaminated too badly by the contents off the dumpster and they could get something useful off of them.

As he and Flack walked through the imposing front doors into the large, open foyer of the bank, Danny looked around him. There were uniformed officers taking statements from shaken up witnesses and he saw Mac, Stella and Hawkes all engaged in the tedious process of searching the vast space for bullet fragments and other evidence. Through a glass-walled office, Adam could be seen pouring over the bank's video surveillance footage.

Mac gave Danny and Flack a nod as they approached.

"Find anything?"

"Besides a new meaning for the word 'stench'?" Flack quipped, waving his hand in front of his nose and jabbing an accusing finger in Danny's direction.

"I smell better than your breath, you prick," Danny muttered under his breath before handing over the guns he'd found. "We got these – 9mm, same as the casings you guys found. Had to dig around for 'em in a dumpster at the end of the alley."

"Great," Mac said. "I'll give them to Hawkes; I'm sending him back to the lab with everything we've got so far… Now, I need someone to take some elimination prints from the staff." He paused, sniffing delicately and discreetly covering his nose with a handkerchief drawn from his pocket. "But, um… maybe I should get someone else to do that," he said, causing Flack to snicker at Danny. "Maybe someone less…"

"Whiffy?" Stella piped up. "Whew, Messer. That a new cologne? Cause I gotta say, you laid it on a little thick this morning."

"Ha, ha. Very funny, Stell," Danny grumbled. "You know, you people are so ungrateful. If I hadn't come in, one of you would have had to go for a dive in the garbage pile."

"Nah. We would have just sent Adam," Mac replied, which earned a tiny smile from Danny.

"Whatever. He's such a cupcake he would have tossed his lunch before he even got into the first dumpster."

Mac chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, Stella – I want you to go get prints from the staff; Flack, there's a few witnesses over there that still need their statements taken; and Danny – you go clean up then I want you to take the vault."

Danny let out a weary sigh. It didn't look like he was getting out of here anytime soon. He wandered off toward the washrooms, pulling his cell phone out of his pocket. He was in desperate need of some cheering up, and there was only one person he could always count on to make him fell better. _Well, two people actually_, he thought with a smile as he hit the speed dial button on his phone.

* * *

The kitchen was a mess, but for once Lindsay couldn't have cared less. After Lucy had woken up from her nap, Lindsay had decided that she wanted to do something with her daughter that she and her own mother had always enjoyed doing together – baking. And so it was that she'd pulled out her grandmother's battered old cookbook, its pages dog-eared and tattered after so many years of use. Her mother had given it to her as a belated wedding present, knowing how much the book of old family recipes meant to Lindsay. She had flipped through its pages, smiling when she came to her very favourite recipe – one she and her mother had made countless times when she was growing up.

She peered through her cupboards. Thankfully she had everything she needed to make the triple chocolate layer cake she loved so much. She'd gotten Lucy settled in her high chair, pulling it into the kitchen with her so she could keep a better eye on the toddler while she worked. As she got out the ingredients and began assembling the batter, she handed Lucy a small plastic bowl filled with some mixture – minus the eggs, just in case Lucy decided she wanted to sample her concoction – and smiled as the little girl gleefully 'mixed' her ingredients with her fingers.

The oven was pre-heating and Lindsay had just poured the batter into the cake pans when the phone rang. Wiping her hands on her jeans, she grabbed the handset from its cradle.

"Hello?"

"Hey baby. It's me."

There was no mistaking the weary tone in her husband's voice. "Hi honey!" she said, hoping that the enthusiasm in her own voice would help to buoy his spirits. "What's up? You almost done?"

"I don't think so," Danny sighed. "There's still a lot to do here. I just needed a break and thought I'd see what my girls were up to."

Lindsay couldn't help but smile. Every time Danny referred to her and Lucy as _his girls_ it made her heart melt and her pulse beat just a little bit faster. "We're doing fine. Trying not to get into too much trouble," she replied. As the words left her mouth, she heard a clatter behind her, followed by an "Uh oh" from Lucy and she turned to see her daughter staring back at her with an impish grin on her face, her bowl having landed on the floor, its contents slowly oozing across the tiles. "Maybe I spoke to soon," Lindsay giggled.

"What's going on? You alright?"

"Oh, we're fine," Lindsay assured him, bending down and retrieving the bowl from the floor before grabbing a cloth and wiping up the remnants of the chocolate batter. "We're actually making a surprise for you and Lucy just got a little over-enthusiastic."

"A surprise… for me?" Danny asked. "Aw. What is it?"

"If I told you it wouldn't be a surprise, genius," Lindsay teased.

"Come on, Linds. Gimme a little hint."

"I dunno," Lindsay said thoughtfully. "What do you think, Luce? Should we tell Daddy what his surprise is?"

"A p'wise fo' Dada! P'wise cake!" Lucy declared, banging her little fists excitedly on the tray of her high chair. Then she reached out, wiggling her fingers and trying to grab the phone from Lindsay's hand. "An' now Yoo-see," she begged. Lindsay smiled. Lucy always wanted to emulate what she saw her parents doing, and using the phone was a fairly recent discovery for her. She still hadn't quite grasped the concept of talking into the phone, but she loved holding it and hearing a voice on the other end of the line.

"Babe, Lucy wants to talk to you," Lindsay said, holding the phone to Lucy's ear. "Say hello to Daddy, Luce." The little girl's eyes went wide with wonder as she listened to her father's voice and she grinned up at her mother before she grabbed the phone and stuck it in her mouth. "No, baby. Don't eat that," Lindsay gently reprimanded as she pulled the handset from Lucy's grasp, wiping the drool from it before she put it to her own ear. "Sorry, Dan."

"That's okay," Danny chuckled. "I wish I was there with you, babe. I'll try to get out of here as soon as I can, alright? But I gotta get back to work; the sooner I do that, the sooner I can come home."

"I love you, Danny," Lindsay said. "Call me when you're on your way."

"I will. Love you guys. Give Luce a kiss from me."

"Lucy, say bye-bye to Daddy," Lindsay said, holding the phone a safe distance from her daughter's outstretched hand.

"Bye-bye!" Lucy shouted. "Bye, Dada!"

Lindsay shared a chuckle with Danny over their daughter's farewell, and they both reiterated their love for one another before finally ending the call. Setting the handset back into the cradle, Lindsay grinned at Lucy.

"Alright, baby. Let's get these cakes in the oven. Then we can make some frosting!"

Lucy clearly had no idea what her mother was talking about, but she clapped her hands enthusiastically nonetheless, watching as Lindsay loaded the cake pans into the hot oven, clearing a small amount of counter space as she retrieved the ingredients for the chocolate frosting that would top the cake.

* * *

It was early evening when Danny finally arrived home. He'd turned down Flack's offer of going out for a beer together, telling him he'd take a rain check. Right now, all he wanted to do was go home to see his girls. Flack had insisted that Danny at least accept a ride instead of having to take the subway, which Danny gratefully accepted.

"Thanks, man. See you later," Danny said, opening the car door and alighting to the curb outside his building.

"Sure thing, Danno. And thanks again for coming in," Flack said. "Now go have a shower, cause you still stink."

"Asshole," Danny grinned as he slammed the door shut behind him, giving Flack the finger before he made his way up the front steps. He rode the elevator up to his floor, inserting his key into the lock and pushing open the front door of their apartment. His mood lifted instantly as he heard splashing and giggling coming from the direction of the bathroom and he couldn't help but smile as he kicked off his shoes and tossed his keys onto the table in the foyer.

"Mama, again! Ducky!"

"Again?" Danny heard his wife laugh. "But we already sang the Rubber Duck song twice!"

"Again!"

"Oh, alright," Lindsay sighed in mock exasperation. Danny crept down the hall toward the bathroom, standing just out of sight in the hallway as he listened to his two favourite people as they bonded. "Rubber Ducky, you're the one," Lindsay began to sing, Lucy humming off-key along with her mother, dotting the song with well-timed splashes and giggles. "Rubber Ducky, you're so much fun. Rubber Ducky, I'm awfully fond of you!"

At the end of the song, Lucy made a particularly large splash, erupting into a fit of giggles as Lindsay sputtered. Danny couldn't stand it any longer and he peered around the edge of the door. Lucy was sitting in the bath surrounded by her toys while Lindsay was kneeling on the floor beside the tub, practically drenched from head to toe. But the wide smile on her face told Danny that she didn't mind at all.

"Hi guys," Danny said, making his presence known.

"Hey, you're home!" Lindsay said, beaming at Danny as he crouched down beside her on the floor. "I didn't hear you come in."

"Well, I didn't want to interrupt your command performance," Danny quipped, causing Lindsay to blush.

"Oh. You heard that?" she said shyly. "Sorry… I hope I didn't hurt your ears."

Danny reached out, tucking a soggy strand of hair behind her ear and pressing a loving kiss to her temple. "I thought it was beautiful, honey. You've got a nice voice."

"Liar," Lindsay scoffed, but the intense blush on her cheeks told Danny that his compliment was not unappreciated.

"Dada!" Lucy shouted, waving her hands in the air and sending droplets of water flying all over the bathroom. "Dada, Yoo-see pwetty!"

Danny looked at his daughter and bit his lip to hold back his laughter. While washing her hair, Lindsay had used her no-tears baby shampoo to sculpt her curls into two little horns that jutted out from the top of her head.

"Aw, Lucybear. You look so pretty."

"Tank yoo," Lucy replied.

She handed Danny her little yellow rubber duck, giggling when he made it crawl up her arm, making quacking noises as she squirmed with glee. Danny felt Lindsay's small hand stroking the back of his neck and she rested her head on his shoulder, watching as Lucy splashed in the tub.

"Careful, babe," Danny said, trying to distance himself from his wife. "I was on dumpster duty today, and I still kind of smell. Sorry."

"I don't care," Lindsay said, nuzzling her face into his neck. "I'm just glad you're home. We missed you." She pulled back and smiled at him. "Didn't we, Luce? We missed Daddy today, didn't we?"

"Yup," Lucy said, distracted now as she grabbed a handful of suds from her hair and stared intently at the tiny bubbles. "Dat?"

"Bubbles," Lindsay informed her. "Can you say that, Lucy? Can you say bubbles? Bubbles." She sounded the word out for Lucy who was focused on squishing the suds between her fingers.

"Bah-buws," Lucy parroted, causing her parents to grin proudly at one another. "Yoo-see bah-buws."

"Good job, sweetie!" Lindsay praised, picking up the little jug they kept in the tub for rinsing out Lucy's hair. "Okay, now it's time to say bye-bye to your bubbles." She dipped the jug into the water, pouring it over Lucy's head while Danny kept her distracted with her duck. Finally, and with a minimum of fuss, Lucy's hair was rinsed clean and Lindsay had her bundled up in a towel.

"You had anything to eat yet, babe?" she asked Danny as she fluffed Lucy's hair dry.

He pulled the plug, letting the water drain. "Not yet. You guys already had dinner?"

Lindsay smiled apologetically. "Yeah, we did. Sorry. I didn't know when you'd be home."

"That's okay. I'll get something later."

"How about this," Lindsay said. "You have a shower and get cleaned up, I'll get Luce ready for bed and we'll find something for your dinner."

"That sounds perfect, thanks honey," Danny said, leaning in and pecking her lightly on the lips. Then he blew a raspberry on Lucy's belly, smiling as Lindsay carried the little girl down the hall to her bedroom.

* * *

A half hour later, Danny emerged from the bathroom, a pair of sweatpants slung low around his hips. He pulled his wife beater over his head as he padded across the living room, inhaling deeply as he watched Lindsay put the finishing touches to his dinner while Lucy supervised from her high chair.

"Wow. And what did I do to deserve steak?" he asked, walking up behind her and slipping his arms around her waist.

She leaned back against him, tilting her head as he began to press soft, fluttering kisses to her neck. "I just thought you might like it. And Lucy and I made chocolate cake for dessert."

He tightened his grip on her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "And what did you guys have for dinner?"

Lindsay blushed. "Um… macaroni and cheese with salad."

"What? Baby… I could have had mac and cheese. You didn't have to go to all this trouble for me."

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders, nestling back against him and turning her face to press a kiss to his jaw. "I wanted to. I felt like spoiling you a little bit. It's no big deal."

Danny smiled, capturing her lips tenderly with his. "I've said it before and I'll say it again," he murmured against her skin. "You really are the best wife ever. I love you."

"I know you do, Danny. I love you too," she said as she spooned some potatoes onto his plate. "There. Dinner's ready." She gently extricated herself from his arms, turning to smile at him. He grinned at her, cupping her face in his hands and lowering his head to kiss her. It began softly, tentatively even; but it quickly became more heated as Lindsay trailed her fingers along the waistband of his sweats, wrapping her arms around him and pulling him closer. Taking the lead, Danny ran his tongue along her lips, begging for entrance to her mouth. But she broke the kiss, resting her head against his chest as they both fought to catch their breaths.

"Your dinner's gonna get cold," she whispered, her fingers tracing soft patterns on the small of his back.

Danny stroked her hair, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Spoil sport," he teased, earning himself a swift swat to his backside. "Alright, alright! I'm going!"

He untangled himself from her grasp and sat down at the table with his wife and daughter. While he was enjoying his meal, they talked; Danny brought Lindsay up to speed on the case he had been called in to work, while Lindsay filled him in on the day's activities with Lucy.

When he was done, the cake was brought out and Lindsay sliced two larger pieces and a much smaller portion for Lucy. She passed a piece to Danny, hesitating before handing Lucy her plate. "I probably should have waited to give her a bath until after the cake," she lamented, picturing her freshly bathed daughter smeared with chocolate.

"No problem," Danny said, reaching over and pulling Lucy from her chair and settling her on his lap. "Come on, Luce. Daddy's gonna help you, okay?"

The three of them dug in eagerly, Danny alternating taking a bite of his own cake with feeding Lucy small spoonfuls of hers.

"Nom nom," Lucy mumbled with her mouth full of chocolate.

"Don't talk with your mouthful, Luce," Lindsay gently reprimanded, narrowing her eyes at Danny. "She gets that from you."

"What? Her appetite? Or are you talking about her bad table manners?" Danny smirked.

"Both," Lindsay decided.

He grinned at her, deftly changing the subject. "This is really good, sweetheart. Thank you."

"Yeah? You like it?" she asked. He nodded his head, shoving another forkful of cake into his mouth.

Soon they had each had their fill and Danny got up to get Lucy cleaned up and into bed while Lindsay took the opportunity to finally change out of the clothes she had been wearing all day – still damp from Lucy's bath. She emerged from her bedroom wrapped in her bathrobe to find Danny emerging from Lucy's room.

"Okay, Linds. You're up," he said, jabbing his thumb in the direction of Lucy's room. "I'm gonna start cleaning up the kitchen." Lindsay began to protest, but he silenced her with a soft kiss. "I got it covered, babe. Take your time." He patted her backside before walking away down the hall and Lindsay crept into Lucy's room to say her goodnights.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Danny was nearly finished tidying up the kitchen. As he covered the cake in plastic wrap, he snuck a fingerful of the frosting, turning with his finger in his mouth when he heard his wife's voice.

"Hey! Get out of the frosting, Danny," she chastised him as he licked off the last of the chocolate. "That's gross! I don't know where your fingers have been."

He raised his eyebrow at her, defiantly sticking his finger into the chocolate once again and raising it to his lips.

"Danny!" Lindsay laughed.

"Hey! I was gonna eat that," he protested feebly as Lindsay grabbed his wrist, tugging on his hand and taking his finger into her mouth and sucking off the sweet, creamy frosting. His breath caught in his throat as Lindsay swirled her tongue around the tip of his finger. "Fuck. Nevermind," he breathed as she released his hand, grinning wickedly at him.

She patted his cheek before she stepped around him, wrapping the cake up tightly and setting it in the fridge. Closing the door, she felt Danny's arms slide around her waist and she sighed as he nuzzled into the crook of her neck.

"So, Lucy's in bed… kitchen's clean…" he mumbled against her skin. "What do you want to do now?"

"Mmm... I don't know," Lindsay said, turning in his arms and smiling up at him. "The bathroom needs cleaning, we've got some bills to pay…" She giggled at the look of disgust on Danny's face. "What? Not what you had in mind?"

"Not even close," he informed her with a wink. "I'm not really in the mood for doing the responsible grown-up stuff tonight, babe." He lowered his head and began trailing a series of kisses along her jaw. "What I had in mind is a lot more fun… and involves you wearing a lot less clothing."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked, wrapping her arms around Danny's neck and fingering the short, fine hairs on the back of his head. "You feeling up for a little baby making?"

"Mmm…" Danny murmured against her skin. "It's like you read my mind."

"Imagine that," Lindsay giggled as Danny growled playfully in her ear. "It's so hard to tell what you want sometimes. You're just so subtle, babe."

She let out a shriek as he picked her up, turning and sitting her down on the breakfast bar and nudging her legs apart so he could stand between her knees. He cupped her face in his hands, stroking her cheeks as he kissed her, his tongue gently probing for entrance to her mouth. She moaned, parting her lips for him and wrapping her legs around his hips, pulling him closer. She tugged gently on his hair, tilting her head and deepening their kiss as Danny's hands slid down her back until his fingers were gently massaging her backside. "Oh my God," she panted when they finally broke apart, both of them breathless.

"Still too subtle for you?" Danny teased. Lindsay shook her head, rubbing her nose affectionately against his.

"No. I think I gotcha," she whispered. "Loud and clear."

"Good," Danny replied, turning his attention to the ties that bound her housecoat together. He undid the knot, letting the garment fall open, revealing the flimsy, lacy little nightdress Lindsay wore beneath – not the usual pyjama shorts and tank top she normally wore to bed. "Whoa," he breathed, pushing the housecoat from her shoulders and tossing it to the floor at his feet. "Looks like somebody was hoping to get lucky tonight." He smiled at her, raising his hands to cup her breasts through the thin fabric, teasing her nipples with his thumbs and earning a low, throaty moan from his wife. "God, you are so fucking sexy, Montana. So beautiful. My pretty girl."

Lindsay blushed, burying her face in his neck and letting her fingers slide up under his wife beater. She drew her nails down his back, eliciting a groan of longing from her husband.

He skimmed his hands up and down her thighs until he felt her skin prickling with goose bumps at his touch, then he slid one hand under the hem of her nightdress, brushing his fingertips against her curls. He hesitated, contemplating whether or not to move their activities into the bedroom. But as he dipped a finger between her folds, Danny made up his mind; he couldn't wait. And judging by how wet she was already and the way she had begun to writhe against him, nipping and sucking on his neck, he was pretty sure Lindsay couldn't wait either.

"Honey?" he asked. "Baby, we okay here? Or do you want to…?"

Lindsay cut him off, capturing his lips in a kiss that took his breath away. She grabbed the waistband of his sweats, shoving them down his legs and grinding against his aching erection. Her hands clutched at his back, her fingernails digging in to his skin as she urged him to give her the contact she so desperately wanted.

"Mmm… baby," Danny mumbled against her lips. He tried to unwrap her legs from around his hips, chuckling when she responded by tightening her hold on him. "Montana, come on. Stop fighting me," he whispered.

"Danny, no," she replied. "No, I wanna do it here, baby."

"I know, honey," he assured her. "I know, and we will. I'm gonna make you feel so good, baby. Just trust me, okay? Let go for a sec."

Lindsay stared back at him with eyes darkened to pools of liquid chocolate. She relaxed her grip on him and he pressed a soft kiss to her lips before he gently pushed her back so she way lying across the breakfast bar. He unwrapped her legs from around his waist, bringing them up so her feet rested on his shoulders. He skimmed his hands slowly down her slender legs, sliding one finger along her slit to test her readiness while he teased her clit with the tip of his penis.

"Danny, please…" Lindsay begged. "Please, baby… Oh, God!" she exclaimed as he entered her, pushing in slowly until he filled her completely. She smiled up at him, nodding her head, letting him know that she was okay. He grinned, giving her a little wink before taking her hips firmly in his hands and starting to move. He started slowly, but the way Lindsay was arching her body off the counter - her heels pressed hard against his shoulders - made it hard for him to concentrate on his rhythm. Her soft sighs and panting gasps as their bodies writhed together were making his brain short-circuit.

Pausing momentarily, Danny grabbed her legs, pushing them to one side and Lindsay followed his lead, rolling slightly onto her side. He placed his hands on her hip and began to move again, both of them moaning at the sensation of their new position. Lindsay began to chant his name, reaching down for his hand and interlacing their fingers as she neared her climax, her muscles tightening around him as he continued to thrust deep and hard.

"Danny… touch me," she pleaded, squeezing her eyes closed and throwing her head back as her back arched involuntarily. "Oh, God! Please!"

Danny happily acquiesced, sliding the fingers of his free hand against her clit, pinching the tiny bud between his fingertips. He felt Lindsay shudder around him and she screamed his name, her fingernails digging into the soft flesh on the back of his hand.

"Danny! Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!" she panted as her orgasm sent pulses of electricity shooting through her body. She rubbed her thumb against his palm as she fluttered and trembled around his cock. "Come on, Danny… come on, baby. Don't stop. Don't stop."

"Why? You gonna come again?" he panted through gritted teeth, trying to stave off his release for just a little longer.

"I… I… oh, God… just don't stop…"

Knowing that despite his best efforts, he wasn't going to last much longer, Danny lifted one of her legs, taking hold of her thigh and beginning his thrusts anew. And that's when he hit it – that spot – the one that he knew made Lindsay's toes curl and her body tremble at his touch. She had closed her eyes and was panting hard, her mouth open in a wide 'O' but no sound coming out. "Baby, you okay?" he asked.

"Fuck!" she whimpered as her muscles began to contract violently around him. "Shit! Oh, God!"

The feeling of his wife reaching her second orgasm and the sound of her voice as she came was too much. Unable to hold back any longer, Danny finally let go, calling out to Lindsay and falling over the edge right behind her.

"Oh, God, Lindsay," he gasped. "Fuck. Oh, my God. Baby that was… Fuck, you feel so good, honey."

Lindsay peeled open her eyes and smiled up at him. Her chest still heaving, she adjusted herself so that she could sit up properly, cupping Danny's face in her hands and stroking his scruffy cheeks with the pads of her thumbs. "Wow," she whispered, shaking her head. "You are really something else, you know that? That was… God, amazing doesn't even begin to describe how good that felt, baby." She pressed a tender and loving kiss to his lips before wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling into his neck. "I love you so much, Danny."

"I love you too, Linds," Danny said, smiling as he ran his fingers through her hair and pressed a kiss to her shoulder. "So, what's the verdict?" he asked, and Lindsay pulled back and looked at him, clearly puzzled by his question. He kissed her nose, dropping his gaze to his hand as he caressed her flat belly. "Think we did it this time? You feel knocked up yet?"

Lindsay giggled, placing her hand over his and giving his fingers a squeeze. "You're a real mood-killer sometimes you know," she said, albeit with a smile on her face. She shook her head, shrugging her shoulders. "It's way too soon to tell, Danny. You know that."

"I know, I know," Danny sighed. He smiled shyly at her, raising a hand to brush an errant strand of hair from her face. "I just can't wait. The thought of seeing you pregnant again..." He kissed her forehead, their hands still joined together over her belly.

"I can't wait either," Lindsay admitted. "Besides, I'm kind of getting tired of all this practicing. Frankly, it's getting boring." Danny let out a snort of laughter as Lindsay grinned slyly at him. "What? I'm serious, Danny. All this sex… " She let out a dramatic sigh, "I'm just so over it."

"Alright. That's it," Danny said sternly. Lindsay giggled wildly as he grabbed her, tossing her over his shoulder and giving her butt a firm smack as he marched toward the bedroom. "It's not nice to tell lies, Montana," he said, wagging his finger at her after tossing her onto the bed. "I guess I'm going to have to teach you a lesson."

With that, he kicked the bedroom door closed behind them before he dove onto the bed with her. Their laughter and giggles soon dissolved into soft sighs, gentle pleading and moans of ecstasy; their union culminating in cries of passion as they climaxed in one another's arms, toppling into oblivion together.

**

* * *

So, what did we think? We had a little fluff, some long overdue Lindsay/Lucy time, a bit of Flack and Danny with the rest of the team (well, most of them!) and a dash of family time. *thinks* Hmm… I feel like I'm forgetting something here? What could it be? *shrugs* Meh. It'll come to me eventually.**

**Kidding! Alright, so maybe I got a little carried away there at the end. It kind of took on a bit of a life of its own. Besides, I like seeing them try new things together – and new places! I hope no one minds too much. ;)**

**Thanks for reading. Please don't be shy about leaving a review; your comments and ideas are always appreciated!**


	42. Through the Looking Glass

**A/N: My apologies, faithful readers. I've been an absentee writer yet again. During the past week or so my muse abandoned me and went on a lovely little vacation. Apparently while she was gone she decided to sublet my brain to a nasty little troll who has spent the better part of last week whispering in my ear that my ideas are complete crap and my writing is atrocious and I should never be allowed to inflict my horribleness upon the world like some kind of verbal leprosy. **

**I tried to write, but everything just seemed to be so **_**blah**_**… it wasn't that I didn't have ideas. It was just that when I actually went to write said ideas down… well, perhaps you've heard the old adage that if you put a thousand monkeys into a room with a thousand typewriters for a thousand years, eventually the monkeys would produce the works of Shakespeare? Yeah. My writing? Four monkeys in ten minutes… on an etch-a-sketch.**

**Finally, though – FINALLY – I had a good idea. But I had to be very sneaky and do my writing when the troll was distracted with other things. Hence why it has taken me so long to update. (I know what you're thinking, BTW. You're wondering if I've finally gone off the deep end, aren't you? Rest assured, I've not gone completely bat-shit crazy. I've just got a bad back at the moment and decided that it might be fun to compose my Author's Notes while on a heavy dose of muscle relaxants. So I'm feeling a little loopy, but otherwise in full control of all my faculties. And FYI – I wrote this chapter pre-back injury, so it's 100% drug free! Yay!)**

**Meanwhile, back on planet earth… Thanks to all who reviewed the last chapter. I love that you guys loved seeing their little family unit. Plus, Flack being Flack is always fun ;) **

**I know I haven't replied to everyone who reviewed as of yet, but please… give this poor, bedraggled girl a break, okay? It was either reply to reviews or write a chapter. Fingers crossed that I made the right choice!**

**Cheers, guys… enjoy Chapter 42**

* * *

"Hey, partner."

Lindsay looked up from where she was bent over examining a spatter of blood on the floor to smile at her husband as he crouched down beside her.

"Hey," she replied. "Mac said he was calling in some backup for this one… but I didn't think you were on call today."

Danny shrugged his shoulders, snapping a pair of latex gloves onto his hands. "Figured it couldn't hurt to get the overtime. Gotta make up for next week somehow."

Lindsay grinned widely as Danny cast her a suggestive wink before grabbing the camera from his kit. His cousin's wedding was just over a week away and they had managed to wrangle the entire week leading up to the wedding off so they could spend a few days together at the seaside resort in the Hamptons where the ceremony and reception were being held. They had both been slightly surprised that Mac had been so generous with their request, seeing as it was kind of last minute. But Mac had pointed out that they had so far only used a handful of their yearly vacation days when they went to Montana, and he was more than happy to give them the necessary time off.

"Only three more days," Lindsay sighed wistfully. "And then a whole week to relax on the beach…"

"In your tiny little bikini," Danny finished for her, causing her to blush.

"Danny!"

"What? I'm just saying…"

"Get your mind out of the gutter, Messer. We actually have work to do here."

"You started it," Danny replied, earning himself a swat on the arm from his wife. He flashed her a cheeky grin. "Alright, Montana. Don't get your panties in a bunch. What do we got so far? That looks like high velocity blood spatter. Is it our vic's?"

"Looks that way," Lindsay replied. Her mind once again focused on her work, she quickly brought Danny up to speed. The restaurant had been in the midst of the breakfast rush when a man walked in and opened fire. The manager had had been killed instantly by a bullet to the head, and several customers had been carted off to the hospital with injuries ranging from minor abrasions and bruises, to the more severe and life threatening.

"Can you imagine? These people were just sitting here enjoying their breakfast when this happens," Danny sighed, pushing himself up into a standing position. "Alright, if you've got the blood under control, I'm gonna start taking overall pictures. Let me know if you need me."

"I will," Lindsay said. She watched him walk away, methodically circling the crime scene and being mindful of where he stepped so as not to disturb any of the as yet undocumented evidence. She shook her head and went back to her task, swabbing up blood samples and ensuring they were carefully labelled before setting them in her kit to take back to the lab.

They had been working for a while when Lindsay looked up at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Hey, Mac," she said, tucking the last of her swabs away.

"Lindsay," Mac nodded his greeting. "I just got a call – another case uptown. You and Danny think you can handle this one?"

"Sure, Mac. We've got it covered, right babe?" Lindsay said, addressing Danny who had sidled up to the pair.

"Yeah, we're good."

"Great. Then I'm gonna take Hawkes and Stella with me," Mac said, and Lindsay looked over to where her two coworkers had already begun to pack up their things. "You guys keep me posted on this one. Let me know if you need a hand, alright? Flack's just outside talking to witnesses."

"Thanks," Lindsay said. "We'll be fine."

Mac smiled at her, patting Danny on the shoulder as he left, Stella and Hawkes following after him.

"So…" Danny began, bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Just you and me."

"Just you and me," Lindsay affirmed. "Kind of like the old days, huh? It's been a while since we worked a case together, just us two."

"I hadn't thought about it… but yeah. Yeah, it has," he remarked with a grin. "You were always my favourite partner. You were so easy to rile up."

"Jerk," Lindsay huffed, grabbing a handful of evidence bags and moving on to the next area of the scene.

"Admit it, Montana. You kinda liked the fact that I knew exactly what buttons to press to get you all hot and bothered right from day one," Danny smirked. Lindsay scoffed at him and rolled her eyes, causing Danny's shit-eating grin to widen. "And from the way you're blushing, it looks like you still kinda like it."

Lindsay shot him a withering glare that was only somewhat tempered by the tiny smile that tugged on the corners of her lips. "Shut up, Danny. Go back to work."

"Alright, alright," Danny conceded, raising his hands in surrender as he walked away. "Just don't let me catch you checking out my ass when I bend over to pick up evidence," he shot at her over his shoulder with a wicked chuckle. "It's unprofessional."

"God. Your ego really knows no bounds, does it?" Lindsay asked, earning a non-committal shrug from Danny. "I think I can control myself while we're at the scene, thank you very much. You're not that irresistible."

"Aw. Thanks, babe. I love you, too."

They grinned at one another across the room and Lindsay blew him a kiss before they both refocused their attention on their work.

* * *

"Gimme some good news, Adam," Danny said as he strode into the lab where Adam Ross was going over the evidence he and Lindsay had gathered.

"I wish I could, Danny," Adam replied. "But the bullet that killed the manager was a through and through and when it hit the wall behind him it was too badly damaged to get any viable stria from it. There's no way we can use this bullet to identify the weapon it came from. Same goes for the others you guys recovered from the scene."

"Fuck," Danny muttered. "And none of the customers knows who the guy was that shot up the place. Never seen him before." He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Sorry, Danny."

"Ah, it's not your fault, Adam," Danny said, clapping Adam on the shoulder. "I'm gonna go back to Flack; see if we can find something useful in the witness statements he took."

"Good luck," Adam said.

"Thanks, man." Danny gave him a casual salute before heading off in search of Flack. He heard the sound of heels clacking against the tile floor of the hallway and turned to see his wife jogging after him. "Hey, babe. Where's the fire?"

"I just got a call from the hospital," Lindsay panted, coming to a stop beside Danny. "They pulled a bullet from one of the customers and it looks like it's in pretty good shape. They're waiting for us to come and pick it up."

"Nice," Danny said appreciatively. "Let me grab my coat and we'll go."

* * *

"Excuse me… Do you know where I can find Dr. Dowell?"

The young woman at the admittance window – no more than 20 years old - looked up from the magazine she was reading and gave Lindsay a disdainful glare. "Who wants to know?" she asked, with no small amount of attitude.

"NYPD. That's who," Danny replied sharply, drawing his badge from the clip on his belt and flashing it in the young woman's face. She flicked her eyes to his badge before looking back up at the pair of them and letting out a long-suffering sigh.

"Dr. Dowell is in Post-Op looking after a patient," the young woman said, consulting a chart on her desk. "Take the elevator to the third floor. It's down the hall and to the right."

"See? That wasn't so hard, was it?" Danny remarked acerbically as he and Lindsay moved off toward the elevators, following the surly young lady's instructions.

"Cool it, Danny."

Danny grimaced, tucking his badge back onto his belt as they stepped into the elevator. "Sorry," he said. "I just didn't like the attitude she was giving you. Kids these days… they got no respect."

Lindsay bit her lip to hide her smile, but she was too late. Danny crossed his arms over his chest and stared at her. "What?" he asked. "What's funny?"

"You," Lindsay laughed. "You're just such an old man sometimes."

"Hey!" Danny protested, nudging her with his elbow. "Jeez. What's wrong with demanding a little respect? When I was her age…"

"You were probably a thousand times worse than her," Lindsay interrupted, finishing his sentence and stepping out into the third floor hallway. Danny followed her, narrowing his eyes and shaking his head. "I've talked to your mother. I've heard all the stories, Danny. You can't play innocent with me."

"Whatever," Danny muttered as he and Lindsay fell into step with one another. "My mother exaggerates. I was a model citizen when I was a kid."

That earned a snort from Lindsay. "Uh huh. Sure you were," she replied. She paused, sniffing the air. "Hey, Danny… you smell that?" she asked.

Danny stopped walking, staring at his wife. He took a tentative sniff. "No… what is it? What do you smell?"

"It smells like… something's burning," Lindsay replied. "I think… I think your pants must be on fire, you big liar!"

"Shut up!" Danny laughed, relief evident on his face. "Jesus. You scared me there for a sec. I thought maybe you smelled gas or something."

"No. Just a bunch of hot air… strangely enough it was coming from your direction."

"Oh, ha ha. Very funny, Montana," Danny grumbled. "Wiseass."

They continued their bantering and good-natured bickering until they reached a set of swinging doors, large lettering over the doorway announcing that they had reached the Post-Operative Recovery Area. Danny made as if to push through the doors, but paused when he realized Lindsay was no longer beside him.

"Montana?" he asked, turning to see her standing a few feet away. "Babe?" he asked again, quickly closing the distance between them and placing his hand on her shoulder. "Lindsay? What's wrong?"

"Hmm? What?" Lindsay asked, giving her head a little shake and smiling up at Danny. "Oh… nothing. Sorry. I just spaced out there for a second. I'm fine."

Danny wasn't convinced. "You sure?" he asked, giving her shoulder a soft squeeze.

"Yeah, Danny. I'm fine. Really," Lindsay assured him. "Let's go. We gotta get that bullet."

She strode forward and pushed open the doors. The room was just as she remembered it; cold and sterile and uninviting. She took a deep breath, trying to brush aside the memories that suddenly began to flood back to her. She'd spent nearly twelve hours sitting in the tiny and uncomfortable visitor's section just off to the side as Danny underwent multiple surgeries to remove the bullet from his back and to repair the damage done as the speeding projectile ripped through his body. She associated this room with fear and with pain. She'd never been more afraid in her entire life… afraid that Danny wouldn't make it. Afraid that she would have to spend the rest of her life without him. Afraid that she would have to raise their daughter on her own.

When she'd finally received word that he'd made it out of surgery, she had breathed a huge sigh of relief, gratefully following the doctor to his bedside. She'd never stepped foot in this room since; she'd never had a reason to do so. And until this exact moment, she'd thought she was over it and would never have to revisit that painful part of her life ever again.

"Excuse me… unless you're family you can't be in here." Lindsay looked up to see a middle-aged woman in scrubs staring back at her.

"Um… I'm looking for Dr. Dowell," Lindsay said, pulling her mind back to the present. She drew back the hem of her jacket, revealing her badge. "We're from the NYPD Crime Lab. He's expecting us."

"Just have a seat over there," the nurse said. "I'll go see if he's available."

"Thanks," Danny said, heading over to the bank of hard wooden chairs. He dropped down onto a seat and stretched his legs out in front of him. "You coming, Montana?" he asked. "Might as well take a load off for a few minutes." He patted the seat beside him invitingly.

"I'm fine, Danny," she said. "I'll stand."

"Suit yourself," he replied, glancing around the waiting room. "Too bad they don't have magazines in these places anymore. It could get pretty boring if you have to sit around here and wait for a long time."

"Most people who have to spend time in this room have more important things on their minds than who made the cover of _Rolling Stone_ or _People's Sexiest Man Alive_, Danny," Lindsay snapped.

"Whoa," Danny said, furrowing his brow and leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "What's the matter with you?" he asked. "You been acting funny since we got up here."

"There's nothing the matter with me," Lindsay replied sharply. "I said I'm fine."

"Yeah. I heard you," Danny said. "I just don't believe you. Come on, Linds. Talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong, Danny. Just leave it alone."

Lindsay defiantly held his gaze, his blue eyes boring into hers. She knew he would do as she asked and let it go for now. They were at work; not exactly the ideal time to be having a marital dispute. But she could tell by the look on his face that as soon as they were off the clock he would bring it up again.

"Detective?"

Lindsay looked up to see a tall, grey-haired man approaching.

"Dr. Dowell?" Lindsay said, handing him her card. "I'm Detective Monroe-Messer. We spoke on the phone."

"Right. And you are?" the doctor asked as Danny heaved himself to his feet to stand beside Lindsay.

"Detective Messer."

Dr. Dowell glanced between the two of them. "Alright. Well… we have a few things from your victims. Clothing and other belongings. But most importantly, we were able to retrieve this bullet from Mr. Horton's back."

"Hmm… looks like it's in pretty good shape," Danny mused, taking the tiny sealed bag from the doctor and peering at the bullet contained within. He shoved the bullet into his pocket and refocused his attention on the doctor. "Is he gonna be alright?"

"Well, it's hard to say. There was a lot of damage," the doctor sighed. "The bullet hit pretty close to his spine. We have to wait for the post-operative swelling to go down so we can run some tests… we're not sure yet if he'll regain the use of his legs."

"What… you mean he's paralyzed?" Lindsay asked.

"Looks that way," Dr. Dowell replied. "It will be a few days yet before we know whether it's only temporary or if this is going to be something he's going to have to deal with for the rest of his life."

Out of the corner of his eye, Danny could see Lindsay's jaw was clenched tightly and he knew that the doctor's words had hit a little too close to home for her comfort. He wanted so badly to just reach out to her, but this was neither the time nor the place.

"What… um, what do you think his chances are?" Danny asked. "Of walking again, I mean."

Dr. Dowell shrugged his shoulders. "It's hard to say at this point. 10… maybe 20 percent? We'll know more after we run our tests."

"What about his wife?" Lindsay asked. "Is she alright?"

To anyone else her voice would have sounded normal, as if she was merely inquiring for curiosity's sake. But Danny knew her better than that. He could hear the tension in her voice, the slight warble as she tried hard to keep it together. Almost instinctively, he inched closer to her, letting the back of his hand brush lightly against hers.

"She's doing as well as can be expected, given the circumstances," Dr. Dowell explained. "From what I understand from the paramedics, he dove on top of her to protect her and took the brunt of it. She's got a few scrapes and bruises and she bumped her head… but she'll be fine. Do you need to talk to her? Ask her a few questions?"

"Uh…" Danny hesitated. They really should get a statement from her. All the other witnesses had already been interviewed back at the scene, but these two… the paramedics had gotten them out of there before Flack and his fellow officers had arrived.

"Yeah. That would be great," Lindsay said before Danny could think of a way to get out of it. "We promise to make it quick."

"Well… Mr. Horton is still sleeping," Dr. Dowell said, consulting his notes. "Wait here and I'll just see if his wife is up for it."

As the doctor walked away, Danny looked over at Lindsay. She glanced up at him quickly before dropping her gaze to the floor.

"Linds…"

"Please don't, Danny," she said quietly. "Not right now, okay? I don't want to think about it… I don't want to talk about it…" She looked up at him and he could see a flurry of emotions in her eyes. "Please… let's just do our jobs for now."

"You gonna be alright?" Danny asked.

"I'll manage."

Before Danny could reply, Dr. Dowell called to them, waving them over to a small, curtained-off area.

"Detectives, this is Shauna Horton," he said. "Mrs. Horton, these detectives are from the Crime Lab. They need to ask you a few questions about what happened today, alright?"

The young blonde woman nodded her head, her eyes glassy and glazed over.

"Hi, Mrs. Horton. I'm Lindsay and this is my partner, Danny," Lindsay said, pulling up a chair beside Shauna Horton. "We don't want to take up too much of your time, but we were hoping you might be able to tell us a little bit about what happened to you and your husband."

"Um… we went for a walk this morning and on our way home we decided to stop for breakfast," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "We… we never do stuff like that. We're always too busy, but today…" she paused, wiping her eyes with the tissue Lindsay handed her. "Thank you. Uh… today was our first anniversary and we'd both taken the day off work so we could do something special together." She shook her head, reaching out and clasping the hand of her sleeping husband. "It all happened so fast after that. We were having our coffee when suddenly we heard a commotion. People were screaming and I heard a gun go off. Then Tim pushed me to the floor…"

"It's okay. It's alright. Take your time," Lindsay soothed, giving the young woman an encouraging smile. "I know this is difficult, but anything you can remember could be helpful."

"The manager… I think I heard him yelling before he was shot. He said… he said, 'No, Jason. What are you doing? Don't!'." She looked up at Lindsay. "I think he was talking to the shooter. He knew him."

"You're sure he said the guy's name was Jason?" Danny asked, taking out his notepad and jotting down the name.

Shauna nodded her head. "Definitely."

"That's great. Thank you very much, Mrs. Horton," Danny said as he put his notebook away. "That's very helpful."

Shauna looked up at him, her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip trembling. "I just want to know why. Why us? Why this morning?"

Danny shook his head, wishing he could offer her some comfort. "I'm sorry, we don't know yet," he said. "But we're working on it." He reached into his wallet and took out his card. "If you remember anything else – either you or your husband – please give us a call, alright?"

She took his card and looked at it. "Detective Messer? Is that your name?"

"That's right."

"Oh…" She reached over to the small table beside her husband's bed and picked up Lindsay's card that the doctor had left for her. "And you're…"

"Detective Monroe-Messer."

She looked down at the cards, then up at Danny and Lindsay. "Are you… you're not…"

"Afraid so," Danny said, giving Shauna a small smile. "She's stuck with me on the job and at home."

Shauna chuckled lightly, setting their cards back down on the table. "That must be nice."

"It has its moments," Lindsay smiled, getting to her feet. "Anyway, we'll leave you to look after your husband. The doctor said he's got a good chance of recovering."

"Right. Ten percent," Shauna scoffed. "That's practically next to nothing… why don't they just come out and tell me that he's got no chance and let us get on with our lives?"

"You know, a very smart woman once told me that ten percent… well, it's enough to hope," Danny said, giving Lindsay a small smile when she turned to look up at him. "As long as you remind him to keep fighting and give him something to hope for… well, you never know what might happen."

"Yeah, well," Shauna said, swiping at her eyes. "It's kind of hard to be hopeful when Tim is just lying there…"

"It's not going to be easy, Shauna," Lindsay said. "I'm not going to lie to you. It's going to be hard and sometimes it will even be painful. But just remind yourself that Tim is still here. You've still got him." She reached out and placed a comforting hand on the other woman's shoulder. "You'll have to learn to love each other a little differently for a while… but it's a small price to pay considering the alternative."

"Thank you," Shauna said, giving Lindsay a grateful smile. "I think I needed to hear that."

"It's no problem," Lindsay said. "If you ever feel like you want to talk, give one of us a call, okay? Whether it's about your case or what you might be going through with… this -" she gestured to the hospital bed where Tim lay sleeping. Shauna looked confusedly back at Lindsay. "Sometimes… well, let's just say it can be helpful to talk to people who've been there; people who have sat where you're sitting right now."

"Come on, Linds," Danny said, placing his hand on the small of her back. "Let's go. It was nice to meet you, Mrs. Horton. Thanks for taking a few minutes for us."

Shauna smiled, nodding her head and Lindsay gave her a small wave before she and Danny made their way back across the waiting room. They walked in silence to the elevators and when the doors opened, they stepped inside and Lindsay reached out to press the button for the ground floor. Danny placed his hand on her arm, stopping her and she turned to look up at him.

"What…?"

"Just trust me, babe," he said, pushing the button for the hospital's top floor. When the doors slid open, Danny took her hand in his and led her down the hall, pushing open the door leading to the stairwell and marching purposefully up the steps, Lindsay following right on his heels. They reached the top and Danny shoved open the heavy door to reveal the rooftop, grabbing the doorstop from the landing and positioning it so that it wouldn't slam shut behind them.

"Danny, what are we doing up here?" Lindsay asked as Danny turned, setting down the bags of clothing and other evidence.

"I just needed a minute, Linds," he said before he reached out and pulled Lindsay into a tight hug. "And I thought maybe you could use one too." He sighed heavily, his breath rustling through her hair. "That was like looking in a mirror Linds… I just saw you sitting there beside that bed… and it kills me that you had to go through what Shauna Horton is going through right now."

Lindsay blinked back the tears that had been threatening to fall since they walked into the recovery room, burying her face in Danny's neck and wrapping her arms around his waist. "I'm sorry I got mad at you about the magazines," she sniffled, causing Danny to chuckle and tighten his grip on her.

"Fuck the magazines, Linds," he replied. "I don't care about that." He pressed a kiss to her temple, pulling back and gazing down at her upturned face and gently stroking her cheek. "You did really great in there, sweetheart. Really great," he said. "That can't have been easy for you. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine now," she assured him. "It's just… that was me not so very long ago, Danny. And it just hit me all of a sudden when we walked through those doors… I spent the longest and worst hours of my life in that room, Dan. And I was so scared. I thought I might lose you."

"Nah. You can't get rid of me that easily," he said, bending to place a soft kiss to her lips. "You're stuck with me for life, Montana."

"Good," she replied, smiling and leaning forward to capture his lips once again in a series of gentle, loving kisses. She slid her hand up under his shirt, seeking out that particular spot on his back that she knew so well. She let her fingers trace the outline of his scar before she pressed her palm flat against the slightly puckered skin, reminding herself that it faded a little more each day.

They held each other for a few moments longer before they finally untangled themselves from their embrace.

"I love you so much, Lindsay," Danny said, cupping her face in his hands. "I don't know if I ever really told you how much it meant to me that you believed in me even when no one else did… including myself. Thanks for the kick in the ass, babe."

"My pleasure," Lindsay replied. "Lucky for you, kicking your ass is my favourite thing."

Danny smiled, pecking her lightly on the lips before he turned to gather the evidence they had set down. "Alright, let's get this stuff back to the lab; see if we can't figure out who the asshole is that did this."

They grabbed their bags, the heavy door slamming behind them as they descended the staircase to head back to the lab.

* * *

Lindsay was just switching off her computer and tidying her desk before heading home for the day when she heard a soft knock on her office door. She looked up to see Mac standing in the hall.

"Hey, Mac."

"Hey, Lindsay," he said, taking a few steps into the office. "I heard you and Danny wrapped up that case I assigned you the other day; the shooting in the restaurant?"

"Yeah, we did," Lindsay said. She reached for the case file on her desk and handed it to Mac. "The guy was a disgruntled ex-employee. The manager laid him off a few days before the shooting… budget cuts, I guess. Anyways, the guy – Jason Coombs – he took it personally and decided that if the manager was going to fire him… well, he was going to fire back."

"And unfortunately some innocent people got caught in the cross-fire."

"We wouldn't have found him otherwise, though," Lindsay said. "The bullet we recovered from one of the customers led us to him."

Mac nodded his head, leaning back against the edge of Lindsay's desk. "About that… Flack told me that this was a bit of a tough one for you and Danny," he said. "I'm sorry about that, Lindsay. If I'd have known…"

"It's alright, Mac. We're fine," Lindsay assured him. "It was bound to happen eventually. I mean, we all have things in our past that haunt us a little. I still get knots in my stomach when I walk into a scene where a group of teenagers have been killed. And I'm sure Stella still gets nervous when she shows up at a home invasion where a woman has been attacked by her boyfriend or husband. It doesn't mean we can't do our jobs." She smiled, glancing at the photo of Danny and Lucy she kept on her desk. "Besides, I think Danny and I have it pretty good. It's not like we went through it alone, you know? We had each other back then and we had each other during this case."

Mac chuckled and pushed himself up off her desk. "Good. I just wanted to make sure," he said. He paused in the doorway. "You two taking off in the morning?"

"Yeah. Our train leaves at 10:30."

"Okay, well have fun. I expect to see lots of pictures of Lucy playing on the beach, understood?"

"You bet, Mac," Lindsay replied. "I guess we'll see you in a week."

"See you in a week," he said, giving her a wave as he headed down the hallway. "And give Lucy a kiss from her godfather!"

"I will!"

Lindsay smiled as she gathered the last of her things, turning off the lamp on her desk and checking that her filing cabinet was locked. She smiled as she heard a familiar voice out in the hall.

"Catch ya later, boss," Danny called out. "Don't let this place fall apart without us!"

"We'll do our best to make due, Danny," came Mac's reply.

"Hey, babe. Ready to go?" Danny asked as he grinned excitedly at her from the doorway.

"I'm ready!"

"Can you believe it?" Danny asked, sliding his arm around her shoulders and pulling her tightly into his side as they walked down the hall. "A whole week… just you, me, Lucy…"

"And your entire extended family," Lindsay reminded him.

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You'll hardly notice that they're there," Danny said, waving off her comment. Lindsay rolled her eyes. If there was one thing that she knew from her few experiences with the small portion of Danny's family that she had met, it was that they were hard to miss. "This is gonna be awesome. We're gonna play in the ocean with Lucy and teach her how to build a sandcastle..."

"Dan, babe… you do realize that she's not even two yet, right?" Lindsay asked before Danny could get too carried away with his plans. "She'll probably just eat the sand."

"What? You kidding me?" Danny scoffed. "No way. Our kid is a genius. And geniuses don't eat sand."

Lindsay giggled at Danny's enthusiasm and his blatant disregard for reality. She cuddled up against him as they rode the elevator down to the ground floor, smiling as Danny prattled on eagerly about the week that lay ahead of them and all the things they would do together. And suddenly it occurred to Lindsay that before they left, there was something she wanted to take care of.

"Hey, Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"Before we go home, do you mind if we take a quick detour?"

"What are you thinking, babe?"

"Well, we have the rest of the afternoon to ourselves before we have to go pick Lucy up from daycare..." Lindsay began. "I was thinking we could stop by the hospital. I want to tell Tim and Shauna Horton that we got the guy… and also I just… I want to see how they're doing."

Danny smiled at her, pecking her lightly on the lips. "I think that's a great idea, Linds."

Hand in hand, they walked through the front doors of the lab, jogging quickly down the steps and heading toward the hospital.

**

* * *

Hmm… I'm still not sure how I feel about this chapter. **

**Basically, it started out as a kind of "screw you!" to TPTB for not giving us any good D/L case scenes in forever and a day. But then I panicked when I realized it meant I would have to actually come up with a case and have them work it. As you may already be aware, I am not a forensics expert. I can barely spell the word without my spellchecker… so there are going to be mistakes. Probably lots and lots of them. So how about this? Let's all pretend that this is fiction and we can suspend our disbelief so rhymes can make stuff up as she goes along. Sound good? Good. Glad we all agree.**

**As you can probably tell, I'm a bit of a neurotic mess at the moment, so please be kind with your reviews. Remember that positive reinforcement = a happy rhymes... and a happy rhymes = a productive rhymes!**

**PS: I put a little Easter Egg of sorts into this chapter for my fellow Canadians. I'll give a virtual, interweb Double-Double (or perhaps you'd prefer an Iced Cap?) to anyone out there who spots my sneakily hidden reference to a Canadian hockey legend turned doughnut mogul. Happy hunting, eh?**

**:D**

***rhymes***


	43. Share the Load

**A/N: Thank you all so much for your amazing responses to the last chapter! Wow, I'm glad to know that I'm not alone in wanting to see more of Danny and Lindsay working together. There's just something about them that is so much fun and I tried to capture that kind of old school feeling.**

**This next chapter sees our favourite family starting their vacation… enjoy!**

* * *

"Oh my God! Danny! Have you seen this view?"

Danny smiled at his wife as he lifted Lucy from her stroller, balancing the little girl on his hip and crossing the room to gaze out at the vista outside their suite. Lindsay had pulled back the curtains on the wide French doors and was practically bouncing with excitement as she took in the view in front of her; miles upon miles of white sandy beaches with delicate frothing waves curling up onto the shore. Sun bathers lounging on beach blankets and small groups of children frolicking in the surf dotted the landscape, filling out the picturesque scene.

"It's something else, isn't it?" Danny said, coiling one arm around Lindsay's waist from behind and pressing a kiss to the back of her head. "The brochure Dario gave me really didn't do it justice."

Lindsay turned and beamed up at him, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before she took Lucy from him and carried her out onto the small private deck just off the main room of their suite. She leaned up against the railing, letting Lucy get her first good look at where they were and she turned and grinned at Danny as Lucy squealed excitedly when a noisy flock of seagulls passed by overhead.

"This is amazing, baby! I've never been to a beach like this before."

"Really?" Danny asked, joining his girls out on the patio. "Come on, you're pulling my leg," he said sceptically, pulling his sunglasses down over his eyes. "You really never been to a beach before?"

"Well, I mean we have rivers and lakes at home," Lindsay explained, shaking her head in wonder at the scenery. "But Montana is a land-locked state, Dan. And we never made it to the coast."

"Then you've got lots of catching up to do," Danny said with a grin. He gave her backside an affectionate pat and leaned in to kiss her cheek. "Whatcha waiting for, babe? Go get your suit on and we'll go down."

"Yeah?"

"Of course," Danny replied, taking Lucy from her and heading back inside. "What? You think we came all the way up here just to enjoy the beach from a distance? Besides, I'm kinda chompin' at the bit for you to break out that bikini you brought." He raised his sunglasses, perching them on the top of his head and gave her a little wink before he disappeared through the doorway. Lindsay smiled as she listened to Danny chatting with Lucy while he rifled through the little girl's Dora the Explorer suitcase looking for her bathing suit.

"Hey, Lucybear, you gonna go swimmin' with Daddy? Hey? Are we gonna go in the ocean?"

"Yah! Yoo-see oh-shun!"

"Alright! That's my girl!"

Lindsay smiled and crossed her arms over her chest, leaning against the frame of the patio door as she watched Danny wrangle a wriggling Lucy into her suit, her little arms and legs kicking and flailing as she giggled and tried to squirm away from him. When she was finally suited up, Danny scooped her into his arms and turned to face Lindsay with a hint of pride on his face.

"What do you think, Linds?" he asked. "I think I got it on the right way… that's supposed to be the front, right?"

Lindsay laughed as Danny held Lucy up for examination. Lindsay's mom had seen the tiny pink swimsuit with purple ruffles on the bottom in a store back in Bozeman and, knowing about their upcoming vacation, had sent it express post to ensure that it would arrive before they headed out of town.

"Yeah, that's the right way," Lindsay said. "Aw, she looks so adorable! We've got to take lots of pictures of her for my mom. You remembered to bring the camera, right?"

"Yup."

"And the sunscreen?"

"It's right here," Danny said, holding up the bottle of lotion.

"And her hat? I don't want her to get sunstroke."

"Will you relax? I got it covered, babe. Don't worry," Danny assured her. "Now quit stallin' and go put your suit on."

"Bossy," Lindsay teased as she reached into their suitcase for the bikini Danny had insisted she bring with them. "You'd better be nice to me, Messer, or my bikini will never see the light of day. I'll wear a brown paper bag to the beach if I have to."

"I promise to be on my best behaviour," Danny vowed, placing one hand over his heart. "Please don't take the bikini away from me."

Lindsay smirked, pulling the garment in question out of the bag and crossing the room to press a quick kiss to Danny's lips. "Such a good boy," she murmured. Danny's hand snaked around her waist and he stopped her from pulling away, capturing her lips once more in a brief but passionate kiss, making her skin break out in goosebumps and her heart thump loudly in her chest. "Wow," she breathed, smiling up at him slightly dazedly. It never failed to amaze her that even after being together for so long he could still make her weak in the knees at the slightest touch. "You know for someone who wants to go to the beach so badly, you're making a very good case for just forgetting all about it and staying right here in our room," she accused playfully. "I might just have to keep you up here and make you kiss me like that again."

"Any excuse to get out of wearing the bikini, huh?" Danny laughed. "Come on, Montana. There's a beautiful sandy beach out there calling our names. We've got the rest of the week to stay inside and entertain ourselves."

* * *

Lindsay lay sprawled face up on her towel, her eyes closed as she let the sun's warming rays recharge her batteries. As far as she was concerned, this vacation couldn't have come at a better time. Their last case had been particularly hard for both of them and had resulted in a few sleepless nights for Lindsay. She had tossed and turned, plagued by vivid and unpleasant dreams as the night Danny had been shot replayed itself over and over again in her mind leaving her exhausted and slightly nauseous in the morning.

And it wasn't just the case that was playing on her mind. As of this morning, her period was officially four days late. Now, she wasn't counting her chickens before they'd hatched; she knew that stress could play a part in messing with her cycle. But a tiny part of her was hopeful that there might be another reason that her period – which was usually as regular as clockwork – was late.

She could hear Danny and Lucy chatting as they explored the beach for seashells a few feet away. Lindsay smiled as she listened to Lucy's excited squeals at each new find. She cracked one eye open and peered over at the pair crouched down on the sand as Lucy let out a frightened yelp and recoiled in horror, frantically clambering into Danny's arms.

"Dada! Maw-stah! Maw-stah!" she cried, pointing at something in the sand that Lindsay couldn't quite see. She was about to get up and see if everything was alright when she heard Danny chuckle.

"It's okay, Luce. It's not a monster. It's a crab," he explained patiently, gently soothing the little girl and rubbing her back as she clung desperately to him. "See? Just a little crab. He's not gonna hurt you."

"No maw-stah?"

"No monster."

"Cwab?"

"That's right, baby. It's a crab."

Lindsay smiled as Danny picked up the crab and held it in his hand. Lucy gazed on, still wary of the strange little creature crawling around on her father's palm.

"Do you want to hold him?" Danny asked, slowly bringing the tiny crab closer to Lucy.

"No!" She shook her head vehemently and hid her face in Danny's neck.

"No? But he likes you!" Danny gently cajoled. "Look, he's waving at you."

"Yah?" Lucy asked, turning her face and peeking at the tiny creature. Her curiosity piqued, she slowly and cautiously untangled her arms from around her father's neck and leaned forward to examine the crab.

"Hi cwab," she said, giggling when it skittered across Danny's hand, waving one of its miniature claws in the air. "An' now Yoo-see," she pleaded, cupping her little hands and holding them out in front of her. "Yoo-see cwab p'ease."

Danny carefully deposited the crab in her hands, reminding Lucy to be gentle with him.

"He's only little, so be very careful, okay?" he said. "Don't drop him."

"'Kay," Lucy said.

Lindsay sat up and smiled as Lucy began to toddle slowly toward her, her eyes focused on the creature in her hands. The look of extreme concentration on her face was absolutely priceless, and Lindsay reached into her bag, pulling out the camera and snapping a few pictures.

"Hey, Luce. Whatcha got there?" she asked.

"See?" Lucy said, holding out her prize for her mother's admiration.

"Oh, wow!" Lindsay gushed, "Did Daddy help you catch that crab?"

"Yup," Lucy said, nodding her head. She let out a whimper as the crab moved from her hand and began to crawl up her arm. "Ah! All done! All done! No more!" she shrieked, wildly shaking her arm in the air and sending the little crab flying, landing safely in the sand a few feet away.

"So I guess that's a no for getting her a crab for a pet then," Danny remarked with a grin as he dropped down onto the towel beside Lindsay. She smiled at him, pulling Lucy onto her lap and soothing the little girl who continued to glare intensely at the crab, watching its progress as it meandered across the sand and burrowed under a nearby rock.

"It's alright, Luce. He's gone now," Lindsay said, adjusting Lucy's sunhat on her head. "Why don't you show Mommy the other seashells you found? I bet they're really pretty!"

Happily distracted with her task, Lucy proceeded to paw through her bucket of shells, raising each one up for Lindsay to admire.

"Hey, babe?" Lindsay asked as Lucy sorted out her collection on the edge of the towel.

"Yeah?" Danny replied absently as he applied a liberal coat of sunscreen to his arms and chest.

"When you're done lubing up, do you mind doing my back for me? I can't reach."

Danny turned and looked at her with one eyebrow raised, a wicked smirk on his face.

"I could do your front for you too if you want," he offered magnanimously.

Lindsay let out a snort of laughter as Danny scootched over to sit behind her. "No thanks," she giggled. "I managed to do my front all by myself."

"Bet you did, you dirty girl," Danny whispered in her ear, pressing a kiss to her neck before he squirted a generous dollop of sunscreen into his palm. Lindsay couldn't help but shiver as he let his hands roam over her back, rubbing slow but firm circles against every inch of exposed skin. When she was completely covered, he began to massage her shoulders, his fingers methodically working out the tension and knots in her upper back that were the result of the stress of the past few days.

"Mmm… that feels so good, Dan," she murmured, letting her head fall forward and closing her eyes as he began to work the back of her neck. "You're going to make me fall asleep."

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing, would it?" Danny asked quietly, his voice laced with a hint of concern. "You haven't been sleeping." It was more of a statement than a question. He sighed, giving her a final gentle squeeze before he wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on her shoulder. "The past few days have been kinda shitty, huh?" Lindsay nodded her head, leaning back against him. "You want to talk about it?"

"Not really," Lindsay replied.

Danny took a deep breath, letting it out slowly. "You know, I have nightmares about that night too, Linds."

Lindsay opened her eyes and turned to look at Danny. "What? How did you…?"

Danny smiled, pressing a kiss to her lips. "You talk in your sleep."

"I do not," she informed him with a huff.

"Yes you do," he said. "Usually it's kinda cute. You talk about Lucy or you run through your shopping lists out loud. Sometimes you tell me off if I did something to piss you off during the day and once you gave me the chemical formula for tetrochloroethylene." The smile slid from his face and he tightened his arms around her. "But the past few nights… well, not so cute. Last night you were crying."

Lindsay had no idea what to say. She had no clue she'd been so transparent, although in hindsight she should have known better. Danny was fairly observant and even if she hadn't been babbling while she slept, she should have realized he would know when something was really troubling her.

When it became clear that he wasn't going to get a response from Lindsay, Danny continued. "You want to know what my nightmares are about?" he asked. Lindsay nodded her head minutely and he buried his face in her hair, inhaling deeply and letting the familiar scent of her shampoo linger against his olfactory senses. "In my nightmares I don't get shot. You do. And I… I have absolutely no idea how to hold everything together. I just collapse under the weight of it all and I let you down."

"Oh, Danny," Lindsay whispered, turning her head to press a kiss to his cheek. "That's not possible, baby. You'd never let me down. Ever."

"I have no idea how you did it, Lindsay. No idea at all," he said with a shake of his head. "During those months you put everything in your life ahead of yourself; me, Lucy, work, our home. Everything. I can't even begin to imagine how hard that must have been. And I thank God every single day that that bullet hit me instead of you because I could never do what you did. I'm just not strong enough."

Lindsay was monumentally stunned by what Danny had just said to her. All this time, she'd been so in awe of his strength as he struggled with his handicap – however temporary it may have been – and the subsequent painful recovery process. Her own actions during that time had seemed so very commonplace to her. Her family needed her to pick up some slack and she had done so. It was simple. Logical. She had never given it a second thought. But to hear Danny say that he couldn't have done exactly as she had done… it made her heart ache to hear him doubt himself and his own abilities that way.

"You could have done it, Danny. You would have – I know you would have," she assured him, wiping a stray tear that had begun to trickle down her cheek.

He let out a snort of derision. "Who, me? Captain Self-Destruct?" he scoffed. "I doubt it."

She raised her hand, cupping his cheek in her palm and gently turning his face toward her. "You're not like that anymore, Dan. You haven't been for a long, long time."

"And why do you think that is?" he asked, leaning forward and resting his forehead against hers. "You got no one to thank for that but yourself, Linds. Without you, I'm a mess."

"Ditto," Lindsay replied, tilting her head and pressing a kiss to his lips. "I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Well lucky for you, you don't' gotta worry about that," Danny said, brushing his lips against hers. "I'm not planning on going anywhere, and I'm not about to let you go either. So how about this; we leave this all behind us, right here and now. No looking back. No regrets. From now on, we'll just look forward to bigger and better things, alright? Just you, me and Lucy."

Lindsay smiled, rubbing her nose affectionately against Danny's. "Have I told you today how much I love you?"

"Yeah, but I can always stand to hear it again," Danny chuckled. "Don't leave me hangin', Montana. How awesome am I?"

"So awesome," Lindsay giggled. "I love you so much, honey."

"Right back at ya, babe."

They stayed locked in a tight embrace for a few moments, exchanging tender, loving kisses until the sound of Lucy singing quietly to herself as she played with her beach toys drew their attention back to their surroundings. Lindsay settled herself back against Danny's chest, the two of them watching as Lucy happily filled her bucket with sand before dumping it out and beginning the whole process anew.

* * *

"She asleep?" Danny asked as Lindsay entered the bedroom of their hotel suite after tucking Lucy into the crib they had asked the concierge to bring up, not wanting to burden themselves with having to drag her playpen all the way up to the Hamptons with them. They had originally intended to set it up in the bedroom, not wanting her to wake up alone and scared in a strange place in the middle of the night. But after their emotional conversation on the beach that afternoon, acting upon an unspoken need to spend some time focused solely on one another, they had moved the crib out into the living room, positioning it right by the door to their room, giving them a modicum of privacy while still ensuring they were accessible to Lucy if she needed them during the night.

"Yeah. She's out like a light," Lindsay replied, flopping down on the bed beside Danny and grinning at him. "I think you wore her out today. All that horsing around on the beach… I got tired just watching you two."

Danny smiled, remembering how Lucy had been in her element – allowed to run around and make as much noise as she wanted, rolling in the sand and splashing in the ocean. After no small amount of convincing on his part, Danny had finally managed to get her to come deeper into the water with him. The feeling of her little arms, wound so trustingly around his neck as he waded out into the waves, and her tinkling giggle as the cold, frothy surf sprayed up in their faces was something he would absolutely never forget. She had taken to the water like a duck to… well, water. Eventually, it wasn't enough to be cuddled against his chest and she wanted to try to "_wim_" on her own. So Danny held her out in front of him, letting her bob up and down in the water, a mixture of pride at her tenacious desire to do things on her own and a flickering sadness at her blatant display of independence.

"It was a great day," he sighed contentedly. "I think we might have to do stuff like this more often. I could get used to this." He turned his head and grinned at Lindsay. "And can I just say that your little bikini did not disappoint, Mrs. Messer. You were a foxy mama out there today, if I may say so."

"You may," Lindsay giggled, rolling over and curling up against his side. "You weren't too bad yourself, Mr. Messer. Those board shorts of yours do all kinds of good things for your… um…"

"My what?" Danny asked, a smirk playing on the corners of his lips. Lindsay shook her head and blushed, burying her face in his shoulder. "Come on, Montana," he prodded, giving her a playful poke in the arm with his finger. "My shorts did all kinds of good things for my..." He paused, giving Lindsay a chance to chime in. "Okay. See, how this works is you gotta jump in at the end there and fill in the blank. Otherwise I might get confused. My armpit? My elbow? My knees? Help me out, Linds."

Lindsay raised her head, her cheeks flushed a rosy pink. "I was going to say 'your package', but I thought it would sound stupid."

Danny let out a chuckle, rolling them over so he was hovering above her, giving her a wicked grin before lowering his face to whisper in her ear.

"You know what else does all kinds of good things for my package?" he asked, his voice a low, husky drawl as he nibbled on her earlobe. "You. Ain't nothing that turns me on more than you, Lindsay. And I'm not just talking about your tight little body, although that is a definite bonus." He pulled back, gently stroking her cheek while he smiled down at her. "I love what's in here," he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "And what's in here," he continued, lowering his face to press a kiss to her chest, just above her heart.

Lindsay swallowed hard, trying to blink back the tears that had formed at Danny's words. She wiped her eyes and then reached around to smack him on the backside.

"You're doing it again," she accused.

"What?" he asked, a mischievous glint flashing in his blue eyes.

"That thing where you're just too amazing for words," Lindsay informed him, trailing her fingers up his back and under the hem of the wife beater he'd thrown on when they'd returned from the beach. "Every time I think I can't possibly love you any more than I already do, you go and say something like that. You're impossible."

Danny smiled, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "It's such a burden, isn't it?" he asked with a wry chuckle, "Being adored by your husband. How ever do you manage?"

"It's a struggle," Lindsay sighed in mock resignation. "But it's a burden I guess I'm just going to have to learn to bare."

She wrapped her arms around his back, pulling him down so his body was flush with hers and lifted her head to kiss him, letting out a little whimper as Danny's tongue gently probed for entrance to her mouth.

Tongues collided and hands explored naked skin as their clothing was quickly discarded, garments being flung haphazardly across the room in their haste to remove any and all barriers between them. Positions were taken and they began to move in the ages old dance of love. They clung to one another, their pace slow and lazy. There was no hurry. This wasn't about obtaining that instant rush of satisfaction; there would be time for that later. This was about them, about expressing the physical side of their love for one another. It was about letting one another know that they were appreciated, loved, adored and worshiped by the other. It was about looking back at the life they had built for themselves, all that they had been through together and reaffirming their pact to look forward at all life had in store for them, facing it together - hand in hand and side by side.

"Danny… oh God!" Lindsay whispered as Danny moved slowly inside of her. "I love you so much, baby. So much."

"I know you do," Danny breathed, taking Lindsay's hands and interlacing their fingers while raising her arms above her head, causing Lindsay to arch against his body. "I know. And I love you too, honey. I'm so lucky to have you in my life, Lindsay. You are the best thing that ever happened to me."

"You're doing it again," Lindsay teased before throwing her head back and arching her back as the tight coil in her belly began to unravel.

"Tough. Deal with it," Danny chided, quickening his pace and lowering his face to nip and suck on her neck, coaxing her closer to her release with every flick of his hips against hers. "Goddamn it, Linds. You feel so good."

"Mmm… just a little more, Danny… just a little… oh, God… oh… oh, God!"

She shuddered beneath him and cried out, her fingers gripping tightly on to his as she was overwhelmed by her intense orgasm. Fully sated, she pressed a kiss to his shoulder, whispering words of love in his ear as he strove for his own release.

"You're so amazing, baby," she breathed. "And I love you so very much. I want you to come for me, Danny. I want to feel you."

Kissing his way from her neck to her lips, Danny sealed his mouth over hers, moaning when Lindsay drew his tongue into her mouth and began to suck on the tip. She untangled her hands from his, letting her fingers trail down his spine until she was cupping his backside, massaging his firm flesh and drawing him further into her body while she milked him with her inner muscles.

"Mmph… mmm…" Danny groaned against her lips as his body tensed and his movements stuttered, Lindsay's loving touches finally sending him over the edge, his orgasm hitting him hard and fast. "Oh my God… oh my god…" he panted breathlessly, collapsing on top of her and burying his face in her shoulder.

"You okay?" Lindsay asked, rubbing his back in soft, soothing circles.

"Mmph…" he grunted, pushing himself up on wobbly arms and rolling onto the bed beside her. "Jesus Christ, Lindsay. That was incredible."

"It was pretty fantastic," Lindsay agreed, tucking herself into his side and resting her head on his shoulder. She sighed contentedly, drawing lazy patterns on his chest with her fingertips. They lay that way for what seemed like hours, simply enjoying the afterglow of their lovemaking. "You tired, Dan?" Lindsay asked, breaking the silence.

"Exhausted. You?"

"I think I could probably sleep for twenty-four hours straight," Lindsay replied. "All this fresh sea air makes me sleepy."

"Well, twenty-four hours might be a bit of a stretch," Danny said, sitting up and gathering the blankets from the pile that had formed at the foot of the bed during their amorous activities. He pulled them up, tucking them in around himself and Lindsay before he settled back down on his side, wrapping his arms around his wife and pulling her close. "Besides, I got big plans for us tomorrow."

"Oh yeah?" Lindsay asked, intrigued. "What kind of plans?"

"That's for me to know," he teased, kissing her shoulder, "And you to find out."

"Spoilsport," Lindsay sulked. "Can't I have a hint?"

"Nope."

"Please?"

"No. Go to sleep."

"Dan?"

"Yeah, babe?"

"Remember all those nice things I said about you?" Lindsay asked sweetly.

"Yeah…" There was a hint of amused wariness in Danny's voice.

"I take them all back. You're a jerk."

Danny chuckled, nuzzling into her neck and tightening his arms around her waist. "Sticks and stones, Montana. Sticks and stones," he teased, letting his hands come to rest on her belly and tracing delicate patterns on her skin. "Abuse me all you want, babe. I ain't talking."

"Ah. A man of conviction," Lindsay smirked. "I guess I have to respect that, even if I don't like you keeping secrets from me."

"It's not a secret, Linds. It's a surprise," Danny reasoned. "There's a difference. And you are gonna love your surprise."

Lindsay made an excited little squeak before she wiggled backward, closing the infinitesimal distance between them. "Dan?"

"I'm not telling, Linds. So save your breath and stop asking."

"No, Danny. It's not that. It's… I'm late."

"Babe, it's not even 10 o'clock at night. It's hardly late."

Lindsay sighed. "That's not what I mean," she said. "_I'm_ late, Danny."

"For what?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes, astounded by how thick her usually intelligent and insightful husband could be sometimes. "Oh, for the love of… My period, Danny. It's four days late."

Her words garnered her a stunned silence from her husband. She turned her head to see him staring back at her with wide, hopeful eyes.

"You serious?" he asked. "Like… you're not shitting me, are you? Because I wouldn't tell you about your surprise?"

"I shit you not," Lindsay replied seriously.

"Oh my God," Danny breathed. "Do you think… I mean, does that… are you… Jesus, Linds. Are you pregnant?" He said the last word softly, almost reverently.

"I don't know," she admitted. "I mean, it's only four days and stress can wreak havoc with my cycle, but…" She shrugged her shoulders. "I haven't taken a test yet or anything."

"Well what are we waiting for?" Danny asked, moving to untangle himself from their blankets. "When can you take one? Can you take one now? Do you want me to go to the drugstore? Do you think they'll be open?"

"Dan? Danny?" Lindsay tried in vain to quell her husband's enthusiasm, not wanting him to get too carried away. "Daniel!" she laughed when her previous attempts to catch his attention and stop his excited rambling had gone unheeded.

"What? What's the matter?" he asked, hopping around on one foot as he tried to shove his leg into his shorts.

"Baby, stop," Lindsay said. "Just… just stop, okay? Come back to bed."

"Yeah, but…" Danny pointed to the door, his expression pleading.

"First of all, the best time to take a pregnancy test is first thing in the morning," Lindsay informed him, taking his hand and pulling him back down so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. She knelt on the mattress behind him and wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "And secondly, I already bought one. It's in my purse."

Danny smiled, turning his face to look at her. "So… you're saying I should stop running around like an idiot and just come back to bed?" he asked. Lindsay giggled and nodded her head. "Good plan," Danny said. He kicked off his shorts and Lindsay crawled back to her side of the bed, waiting for Danny to lie down again before she snuggled up to him once again.

They lay together, talking in excited whispers about what lay ahead for them tomorrow morning. Danny's enthusiasm was contagious and Lindsay soon found herself caught up in the excitement of it all. She had been hesitant about telling him until she was more sure herself, not wanting to be the cause of his disappointment should it turn out to be a false alarm. But after their conversation on the beach and the intensity and passion of their earlier lovemaking, she wanted him there for every step of the way. She knew she would need him to hold her if the test came back negative. And if, by some small chance, it turned out to be positive… she wanted to share that moment with him.

She looked up, seeing that Danny had already fallen asleep and she pressed a kiss to his chest before she tangled her legs in with his, coiling herself around him and closing her own eyes, letting herself fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

**

* * *

So? Thoughts? **

**I hope you enjoyed the lighter, fluffier moments as well as the (hopefully!) more heartfelt moments interspersed in between. I had fun writing this chapter, and I'm really looking forward to getting to explore their time away from the city!**

**As always, your comments and reviews are most appreciated so please don't be shy and drop me a line to let me know what you thought!**


	44. The Icing on the Cake

**A/N: Hey, all! Just wanted to say a quick thanks for the reviews for the last chapter. I'm so glad you enjoyed their day at the beach (and their activities thereafter!). I'm really looking forward to getting to do more days like that – focusing on the three of them having fun and just enjoying spending time together.**

**I'm keeping this Author's Note short and sweet, letting you all get straight to the good stuff… Chapter 44!**

* * *

Lindsay yawned and stretched lazily, rolling onto her side and opening her eyes, the dim grey light filtering into the room through the small gap in the curtains indicating that the sun had yet to rise above the horizon. She lay still for a moment, savouring the quiet calm of the morning; the sound of the surf gently lapping against the beach, the eager calls of seagulls fighting over some scrap of food and the soft wind rustling through the trees. It was a far cry from the noisy chaos she usually woke to in the city.

She wiggled closer to the familiar body beside her, gently skimming her fingers down Danny's back and smiling when her touches drew a small, satisfied sigh from him. She pressed a kiss to his shoulder and let her hand come to rest on the scar that marred the area just above his hip. She'd had no nightmares last night, her thoughts instead focusing on far more pleasant things; like spending the next few days with the two most important people in her life. A smile lit her face as she realized that this morning they would find out if those two people were about to become three.

"Baby? You awake?" she asked, placing light fluttering kisses to the back of her husband's neck.

"Mmm… almost," Danny mumbled, rolling over onto his stomach and turning his head to face her. He let out a deep, contented sigh before opening his eyes and blinking sleepily at her. "Mornin'," he drawled, his voice still deep and gravelly from sleep.

"Morning," Lindsay replied, reaching out to run her fingers through his hair. "You sleep okay?"

"Like a rock," Danny affirmed. "You?"

"Me too. No bad dreams."

Danny gave her a crooked smile before adjusting himself on the bed so he could pull her into his arms. He pressed his lips against her forehead, her nose, her chin and finally her lips.

"So," he began, pulling back and gently rubbing her arm. "You feeling up to taking a test? There's only one question."

Lindsay smiled, nodding her head before she leaned forward and pecked him lightly on the lips. "Ready as I'll ever be," she replied. He returned her smile before pushing himself up out of bed, quickly pulling on his shorts and padding quietly into the main room of the suite. He snuck a peak into the crib, ensuring that Lucy was still sleeping. It wasn't often that they were awake before the little girl, but it was early yet and the day before had been a long and exciting one for her. He kissed the tip of his finger and gently touched it to her button nose, smiling when she scrunched up her face and let out a sleepy grunt before her breathing resumed its deep, steady rhythm, indicating that she was not yet ready to wake.

Turning his attention from his baby girl, Danny grabbed Lindsay's purse from the couch and returned to the bedroom, handing the bag to Lindsay who was now sitting up with the bed sheets draped loosely across her lap. She rooted around in her purse, producing a long, slender box from within. Danny watched as she stared down at the package in her hands, taking a moment to prepare herself for the answer that lay within.

"Babe? If you don't want to do this now…" Danny began, not wanting to pressure her into taking the test before she was ready.

"No… no, I want to," she assured him, tearing her gaze from the box and placing her fingers into his outstretched hand, letting him pull her to her feet. He reached behind her, grabbing the sheet and wrapping it around her naked body and she leaned forward, resting her forehead against Danny's shoulder. "It's just… Danny, what if the answer is no?" she asked softly, her words muffled against his skin.

He snaked his arms around her tiny frame, pulling her securely against him and resting his cheek on the top of her head. "Then we'll just keep trying," he said. He felt her small hands winding around his waist and she clung to his back, pressing her face into the crook of his neck. "Lindsay, whatever the result is and whatever happens next… I want to make sure you know that I will be behind you 100 percent. I love our little family just the way it is, and the way I see it, having another baby would just be the icing on the cake." He pulled back and cupped her cheeks in his hands, gently tilting her face upward so he could look into her eyes. "I love you, Lindsay Messer, regardless of what that test says."

She gave him a watery smile, opening her mouth as if to speak, but Danny beat her to the punch.

"Yeah, yeah. I'm doing it again. So sue me," he chuckled, relieved to have garnered himself a soft giggle from his wife.

She reached up and stroked his face, pushing herself up onto her toes and sealing her mouth against his in a kiss she hoped imparted to him just how much his words of love, acceptance and support truly meant to her. It was Danny that finally broke their kiss, pulling her into a tight squeeze and pressing a quick kiss to her cheek before he released her from his grasp and extended his arm, gesturing in the direction of the bathroom.

"Ladies first," he said, giving Lindsay a cheeky wink and a little bow. "Your throne awaits."

Lindsay rolled her eyes and gave his backside a gentle pat as she passed him. Clutching the sheet to her chest, she grabbed his hand and laced her fingers with his, pulling him behind her into the bathroom.

* * *

The test had been administered and now all they had to do was wait. They sat side by side on the edge of the bathtub, hands clasped tightly together and Lindsay's head resting on Danny's shoulder. They'd been sitting in anxious silence for several minutes when Danny finally spoke, breaking the quiet tension.

"Are we there yet?" he asked.

Lindsay squeezed his hand in response and smiled up at him. "You're the one that set the timer," she reminded him. "How much longer?"

He glanced down at his watch. "Thirty seconds," he said. He inhaled deeply and blew it out slowly, trying to calm the swarm of butterflies that seemed to have taken residence in his stomach. He wanted so badly for the time to be up, and to gaze down at the innocuous little stick currently sitting on the bathroom counter and for it to tell him he was going to be a father again. He only hoped that if it wasn't their time yet – if the test came back negative - that he would be able to hide his disappointment. It had been he who had originally brought up the subject of having another child and the last thing he wanted was for Lindsay to misinterpret his disappointment as being directed at her.

A soft chime sounded and Danny quickly silenced it before it could wake Lucy. He took a deep breath and gave Lindsay a nervous smile. "Do you want to look? Or should we do it together?" he asked.

Lindsay shook her head. "I can't," she replied quietly. "You look."

"Okay."

Danny raised their joined hands and pressed a kiss to Lindsay's fingers before standing and taking the two quick steps it took to cross to the counter. He picked up the test and stared down at the small indicator strip, comparing the result to the chart on the back of the box. Then he checked it again. And then again – just to be sure.

"Dan?" Lindsay asked, a note of anxiety in her voice at Danny's silence. "Honey, what does it say?"

Danny swallowed hard, trying to rid himself of the large lump that had suddenly formed in his throat. He blinked back the tears he could feel prickling behind his eyes. "It says…" he paused to clear his throat, looking up to meet his wife's nervous gaze. "It says we're gonna need a bigger apartment."

Lindsay stared back at him for a moment, her confusion evident on her face. "It… what?" she asked. "Danny…"

Danny lowered his gaze and shook his head in amazement at the test he held in his hand. Then he looked back up at Lindsay, a wide smile on his face. "It says you're pregnant, Linds!"

She was on her feet in an instant, jumping into Danny's outstretched arms and wrapping her legs around his waist. He held her tightly as she buried her face in his neck and burst into tears.

"We're going to have another baby?" she asked, choking the words out between sobs.

"Yeah, we are," he replied, his voice hitching with the emotions that were bubbling up inside of him. "You okay, sweetheart?"

Lindsay pulled back and nodded her head. "I'm so happy," she sniffled, wiping at her eyes and giving Danny a small, teary smile. "I just… we haven't been trying all that long. I didn't want to get my hopes up."

"I know what you mean," Danny replied. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, turning and sitting her down on the countertop. He grabbed a handful of tissues from the box beside the sink and proceeded to gently dab at Lindsay's tear-stained face. "I guess we should probably keep this quiet for now, huh? At the very least until you've seen your doctor."

Lindsay nodded in agreement. "I'll call her office and make an appointment for the morning after we get home," she said. "Do you… um, do you want to come with me?"

Danny smiled at her, tossing the sodden tissues into the garbage. "No place I'd rather be, babe," he replied. He bent his head and kissed her, softly at first. As the kiss intensified, Lindsay snaked her arms around his neck and tugged on the fine hairs on the back of his neck, eliciting a groan of longing from her husband. His hands were busy searching for her body beneath the sheet still wrapped tightly around her when a tiny voice from the other room caught their attention.

"Mama! Dada! Yoo-see up, p'ease. All done s'eep!"

Danny groaned, breaking their kiss and resting his forehead against Lindsay's. "Oh, kiddo. You've got the worst timing," he muttered as Lucy continued to call for her parents.

Lindsay smiled and reached down to squeeze his backside. "Poor baby," she giggled, brushing her lips enticingly against his. "Looks like you're not getting laid this morning, cowboy."

"Yeah, well neither are you," Danny chuckled, helping her to hop down from the counter. She moved to go attend to their daughter, but Danny caught her hand and pulled her back into his arms for one last, lingering kiss.

"Love you, babe," he said before releasing her.

She licked her lips, still tasting him on the tip of her tongue. "That was a low blow, Messer. You know I can't resist you when you kiss me like that."

He grinned at her. "Well you just hold onto that thought, Montana," he drawled. "Because if you think you can't resist me now… well, you're not gonna be able to keep your hands off me by the end of today."

Lindsay shook her head and smiled, trying not to give away the fact that his words had started a smouldering fire in the pit of her stomach. "Promises, promises," she teased. "We'll just see about that." She gave him a wink over her shoulder as she walked past him out into the living room. "Okay, Lucy. Mommy's coming!"

Danny stood in the bathroom and smiled, listening to his wife coo softly to his daughter, the little girl giggling merrily and begging to be picked up. He turned his gaze to the slender white stick sitting on the counter, marvelling at how something so small had just changed his life – he shook his head, mentally correcting himself._ Their_ lives - for the better.

**

* * *

I realize this chapter is a little shorter than I have been doing recently, but I figured it was as good a time to stop as any. I hope the result of the test didn't disappoint ;) and that you're looking forward to what Danny has in store for Lindsay.**

**I'd love to know what you thought, so please don't be shy and leave a review!**


	45. Spoiled

**A/N: Jeez Louise. I don't know what is up with me and updating these days. I've been in a Messer induced stupor from watching and re-watching (and re-watching again and again!) the amazing D/L scenes from this week's episode! Kinda put me in a bit of a naughty mood... hope you guys don't mind too much ;)  
**

**So here's a giant thank you for your patience and for your amazing reviews for the last chapter! I'm sorry I haven't gotten around to finishing my review replies yet… that's still on my To Do List. *sigh***

**Anyway, I'm beyond ecstatic at your collective reaction to Chapter 44... thank you! I was considering drawing out the whole **_**is she pregnant or isn't she? **_**scenario for a little while longer, but in the end I decided that it seemed like the right time.**

**Now, having said that… on with the show! **

* * *

"So do I get to know what my surprise is now?" Lindsay asked, batting her eyelashes alluringly at her husband across the table at the small restaurant where she, Danny and Lucy had just finished breakfast. "You said I had to wait until after breakfast, and well…" she trailed off, gesturing to their empty plates. Danny had been playfully evasive all morning and all she'd managed to get out of him so far was that her surprise was something he could fit in his pocket.

"Come on, baby," she pleaded when Danny merely smiled back at her. She freed her foot from her flip flop and ran her toes up his bare calf and over his knee, latching onto the hem of his shorts with her toes and giving the fabric a gentle tug. "I wanna know what you've got up your sleeve."

Danny laughed and lowered his sunglasses, giving her a pointed stare over the rim of his lenses. "You do realize that's not actually my sleeve, right?" he asked and she responded with a wink. "And I'm pretty sure you already know what I keep up there… Hey!" he laughed and grabbed her foot, which had wandered somewhat further north, stopping her before she had a chance to explore the contents of his shorts in depth. "Careful, Linds. This is a family restaurant. You're gonna get us in trouble."

"Please, Danny?" she asked again, slipping her foot back into her sandal. "You promised."

He sighed heavily and shook his head. "You are so spoiled, you know that?" He reached into his pocket and brought out a plain white envelope, handing it to her across the table.

She took the envelope from him, turning it over in her hands. The resort's crest was delicately engraved in the top left corner and scrawled across the front in Danny's distinctive scribble was one word.

_Montana_.

"Go on. Open it," he said as he lifted Lucy from her high chair, settling her on his lap and smiling when she held up her bear for him to admire. While he devoted most of his attention to his daughter and her furry companion, he kept one eye on Lindsay who had lifted the flap on the envelope and was extracting its contents. The nerves he had managed to keep at bay all morning suddenly began to flutter around in his stomach like a swarm of butterflies. What if she didn't like it? What if she wasn't feeling up for it? What if…

"Danny! Oh my God, this is amazing!"

Danny looked up at his wife, the butterflies somewhat calmer now as he saw the genuine delight on her face.

"Yeah? You like it?" he asked.

"Are you kidding me? A whole afternoon at the spa? Anything I want?" She shook her head and smiled, reaching across the table for his hand. "I love it. Thank you."

"You're welcome, sweetheart," Danny said, jiggling Lucy on his lap and giving Lindsay's hand a squeeze. "Figured you wouldn't mind being spoiled a little bit."

He'd first gotten the idea for the spa when he was perusing the brochure Dario had given him on the hotel he and his fiancée had chosen for their wedding. It had listed all of the resort's amenities and although he wasn't much of a spa guy himself, Danny knew it was something Lindsay would love.

"It's good for a massage and some time in the steam room. Plus you can choose other treatments you want, like… I don't know… girly face stuff or getting your toes done or something."

Lindsay laughed and shook her head. Getting up and rounding the table, she wrapped her arms around his neck and bent to kiss his cheek. "Thank you, baby," she said. "It's perfect." She smiled down at Lucy who was busily sucking on her bear's ear. "What do you think, Luce? Is Mommy going to have to think of a really good way to say thank you to Daddy?"

Lucy looked up at her mother, pulling the bear's soggy ear from her mouth. "Nope."

Danny let out a bark of laughter and shook his head. "Way to bail on your old man, Luce. Thanks a lot."

Lindsay nuzzled her cheek against Danny's, tightening her arms around his neck. "Don't worry babe," she assured him. "I'm sure I can think of a few good ways to say thank you that don't require Lucy's help."

* * *

"God. I am so tired. Whoever said that vacations were supposed to be relaxing must have been out of their minds," Lindsay moaned as she collapsed onto the chaise longue on the private patio just off of their suite.

Danny chuckled at her from inside the room where he had just settled Lucy into her crib for her afternoon nap. He leaned against the doorframe and shook his head, smiling at his wife. "Hey, you're the one that wanted to go hoofing around the marketplace downtown all morning," he reminded her. "I said we should go and lay on the beach, but no… you wanted to go shopping for souvenirs."

Lindsay glared at him over the rims of her sunglasses. "You're not being very sympathetic, Danny. May I remind you that I am carrying your child?"

Danny rolled his eyes. "Uh huh," he said. "And it's such a heavy load, isn't it? You can't be more than two – maybe three – weeks along, babe. Kid's probably the size of a pea."

"Whatever," she huffed. "My feet hurt."

Deciding that now was probably not the best time to point out that her feet hurt because she'd chosen to wear her flip flops on their walk instead of the more sensible shoes she'd brought along for just such an occasion, Danny pushed himself off the doorframe and crossed the small patio.

"Move over and make room for me," he said, sitting down on the edge of her chaise and nudging her arm. She scootched over just enough to allow him to lie down beside her before she curled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder.

"Mmm… this is nice," she murmured. "Can't we just stay like this? I don't even want to think about going back to work."

"Well you got a whole week to forget about work, babe," Danny replied, gently stroking her hair. "Let's just enjoy it while it lasts."

Lindsay sighed contentedly and kissed his cheek. "What are you and Lucy going to get up to while I'm at the spa?" she asked.

"I dunno," he said. "I saw a park just up the street when we were out this morning. Maybe I'll take her there. Or I'll see if she wants to go swimming again. I figured I'd just wing it; I don't really have a plan."

They lay cuddled in contented silence for a few moments, savouring the rare opportunity to just relax outside on a beautiful, sunny afternoon.

"Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"You know that you don't have to do stuff like this for me, right?" Lindsay asked. "I mean… don't get me wrong. I love it, but…"

Danny silenced her with a soft kiss to her lips. "I know I don't have to, Linds," he said with a smile. "But I want to. Just let me have my fun, alright?"

"I just don't want you to go overboard, okay? We can't afford to splurge too much. I mean the cost of the hotel for the week and all of our meals…"

"Babe?" Her fretful tirade was cut off by Danny's gentle finger pressed against her lips. "Relax, okay? We're not destitute and with the overtime we both put in this last month we can afford to spoil ourselves a just a little bit."

"Mmm… just a little bit, then," Lindsay smiled. She kissed his finger before she shifted, positioning herself so she was stretched out on top of him, her arms curled around his neck. "So, when do I get to spoil you?" she asked, earning a chuckle from her husband.

"Anytime you want, babe," he replied, lifting his head and kissing her softly as his hands began to slowly explore her back, sliding underneath the thin fabric of her tank top. Lindsay pulled back and cocked her eyebrow at him when she felt him pop the clasp of her bra. "What?" he asked, an impish glint flickering in his eyes.

"You do realize my appointment is in like, twenty minutes right?"

He shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Hey, I was just lying here mindin' my own business…" he teased, his fingers gliding uninhibited up and down the length of her spine, "… and suddenly you're all over me, talking about how you want to spoil me. What was I supposed to think?"

"Well, you can think whatever you want," Lindsay said, placing a kiss on his whiskered chin. "I had something else in mind." She pressed her lips to his neck, his collarbone, his chest, slowly crawling backwards down his body. Reaching his stomach, she lifted the hem of his t-shirt and flicked her tongue into his belly button as her fingers made short work of unfastening his fly.

Her lips followed the fine trail of hair from his stomach, slowly inching her way downward as she began to massage him through the fabric of his boxers.

"Shit, Linds… here?" he asked, his voice already hoarse with desire.

"Nobody can see us, Danny," she murmured against his hipbone before she closed her lips around the sensitive skin and sucked hard, smirking with satisfaction at the gasp her actions drew from Danny. She pulled back and smiled down at the bright red mark she'd left on his skin. Glancing up at him, she made sure he was watching as she laved the welt with her tongue, causing Danny to moan loudly and his growing erection to harden further in her hands. She thought back to the night he'd crawled through her bedroom window back in Montana, how he'd teased her about the noises she made while he went down on her. She grinned up at him and gave him a firm squeeze. "You think you can keep it down up there, Messer? You're gonna get us in trouble or worse… you'll wake Lucy. And then playtime's over, cowboy."

"Shut up," he shot back, a crooked smile on his face. "I can control mysel… oh my God!" He closed his eyes and threw his head back against the chaise as Lindsay delved beneath the waistband of his underwear and raked her short nails up the length of his cock sending sharp pangs of ecstasy shooting through his body. "Fuck! Jesus! That's cheating!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Cry me a river," Lindsay replied as she settled herself between his legs, pulling his garments down so she could grasp the base of his cock firmly between her hands. "You love it."

She blew lightly on the head of his penis before she swiped her tongue across the tip and lapped up the glistening pre-cum that had collected there. Danny's hands were wrapped tightly around the arms of the chaise and he bit his lip to keep himself from calling out at the feeling of her mouth closing around him. Lindsay's hands gently kneaded and stroked his thighs, his hips, his balls while her head bobbed slowly – agonizingly slowly – up and down his length.

"Please, baby… oh, shit… that feels so fucking good," he panted, his body tensing and straining beneath her.

She knew he was getting close by the shallow rise and fall of his chest and the way his hands clutched desperately at her hair, urging her to go faster, harder, to take him as deep as she could. She watched him while she continued her torturous ministrations. She loved seeing him like this, seeing him dangling precariously on the edge of his climax. As much as Lindsay enjoyed it when they made love, her own all-consuming and frantic need for him as she came was often blinding, meaning that she missed out on just how amazing it felt to see him give himself over to her, to let himself go, knowing that she alone had made him feel that good.

Lindsay gently skimmed her teeth up the length of his erection before she plunged down, taking in as much of him as she could - her hands reaching what her mouth could not - and began to hum softly. The vibrations of her vocalizations against his over-stimulated cock were Danny's undoing and he arched against the cushioned seat, his eyes squeezed tightly closed, biting down on his fist to muffle his cries as he came hard and fast and hot in her mouth.

Her hands rubbed soothing circles on his thighs as she ensured she caught every last drop of his release before she tenderly rearranged his clothing and re-buttoned his shorts. She pressed a loving kiss to his belly before she sat up and ran her fingers through her tousled hair, smiling down at her husband who was still struggling to catch his breath.

He cracked one eye open and a crooked grin spread across his face as he sat up and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her chest flush against his and capturing her lips in a heated kiss.

They broke apart, Lindsay giggling as Danny nipped lovingly at her neck and shoulders.

"Is this your way of saying thank you?" she asked, her skin tingling from the effects of his rough stubble. He responded with a satisfied growl before he pulled back and cupped her face in his hands.

"Thank you," he said softly. "That was… God. The things you do to me…" He shook his head and chuckled lightly. "Feeling that good oughta be illegal."

Lindsay blushed and buried her face in the crook of his neck. "Shut up. Don't make fun of me," she mumbled into his shoulder.

"Hey," Danny said, rubbing her back encouragingly. "Montana, I would never make fun of you about that. Ever." He crooked his finger under her chin and raised her face so he could look at her eye to eye. "Don't ever doubt the way you make me feel, Lindsay. No one else has ever satisfied me the way that you do. And if you don't know that by now, then I must be doing something wrong, baby." He kissed the tip of her nose and pinched her chin affectionately, his eye crinkling in a smile. "You are so goddamn sexy and you drive me absolutely wild when you love me like you just did. You got that?"

She smiled and nodded her head. "Got it."

"Good," he replied, sliding his arms around her and pulling her into a tight hug. "So this is the part where you tell me I'm the best you've ever had… then you tell me you don't really want to go to the spa after all. And instead we go inside and you let me ravage you senseless all afternoon."

Lindsay chuckled and thumped him on the shoulder with the heel of her hand. "I'm going to the spa, Danny."

"Dammit," he muttered teasingly, before he released her, helping her to get to her feet before he heaved a long-suffering sigh. "Alright, just go. Don't worry about me, I'll be fine… just sitting here thinking about you all afternoon."

"Okay. Bye!" Lindsay said cheerily as she patted him on the cheek and turned to go. She paused in the doorway, turning toward him when he called out to her. "What?"

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, pushing himself up off the chaise and sauntering over to her. He slid his arms around her waist, his rough hands gliding slowly under her shirt and up her back.

"Danny! I have to go!"

"Just gimme a sec… got it!" He grinned at her, snapping the clasps of her bra back together. "What? You think I want you running around the hotel with your girls hanging out like that?"

She rolled her eyes and pressed a kiss to his cheek before she turned and pushed open the French doors, stepping into their suite. The room was dim compared to the stark afternoon sun from outside and Lindsay quietly fumbled around in her purse, being careful not to wake the little girl sleeping on the other side of the room. She extracted the envelope Danny had given to her earlier and grabbed the key card for the door. She crept over to Lucy's crib, gazing down at the tiny, slumbering figure curled up with her bear.

Glancing over her shoulder, she smiled at Danny who stood leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest. "I'll see you later," she mouthed, giving him a quick wave as she pulled open the door. "Bye."

"Have fun," he mouthed back. "Love you."

He smiled when she blew him a kiss before quietly closing the door behind her.

**

* * *

So there we go. Again, I'm sorry for the long wait for this chapter. I actually got really stuck on this chapter. Too many ideas = a very confused rhymes. And that's a bad thing. I'm really just a simple creature and being confused hurts my brain.**

**For my friend the anonymous reviewer with the request for more drama; have no fear! I have some ideas for something in the next few chapters, but it's got to come in its own time. I only hope that you can be patient. Hang in there with me! **

**Anyway, ****I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and as always, I'd love to hear what you thought. Bye for now!  
**


	46. There's No 'I' in Team

**A/N: Hello all! I'm finally back with another update for this story. I won't bore you all with my reasons for taking so long to get this chapter written; let's just say that aside from my recent vacation, this past month hasn't been easy sailing. Anyway, I just want to say a quick thanks to those of you who reviewed the last chapter before I end this Author's Note and let you all get down to reading. That's what you're here for, right?**

**Thanks guys! *hugs***

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Gentle fingers kneaded and prodded Lindsay's back as she lay face down on the massage table, the only sound in the room the soft tinkling music playing quietly in the background.

"How's that pressure for you, Lindsay? Too hard?"

"Mmm… no, Marta. That's absolutely perfect," Lindsay murmured into her donut-shaped pillow. She let out a deep, relaxed sigh as Marta continued to ply at her muscles with well-trained hands, slowly working out every last kink and knot in her back. "Oh my God… you have to teach my husband how to do this."

Marta giggled quietly. "You have no idea how many women tell me that," she replied. "Alright. We're all done here," she said. "Just take your time getting up. There's a robe on the hook over there and when you're ready just come on out and we'll get started on your pedicure."

"M'kay," Lindsay mumbled as Marta quietly let herself out of the room. She lay still for another moment, just letting the feeling of her body – relaxed almost to the point of liquidity – linger for a little while longer. With a contented sigh, she finally pushed herself up on her forearms and awkwardly wiggled out from under the sheets and off the massage table. Snaking her arms into the warm, terrycloth robe, she fastened the ties around her waist and slipped her feet into the slippers the receptionist had provided her when she'd first arrived at the spa.

As she wandered out into the dimly lit and quiet corridor, she reflected on her experience so far. She'd never been to a spa like this before, never daring to let herself splurge on something she thought of as so frivolous. But after spending nearly half an hour in the steam room and an hour in the care of Marta, she was considering making this something she did a little more often.

"And how are we feeling?" Marta asked, as she handed Lindsay a steaming cup of aniseed and peppermint tea and led her over to a large, poufy chair with a basin on the floor for her feet.

"Sooooo good," Lindsay answered with a shy smile. "I didn't realize how tense I was until the tension was gone. I feel great."

Marta beamed at her. "I aim to please. So, what colour were you thinking of for your toes? Anything in particular that jumps out at you?" She gestured to the tall shelf that was chalk full of tiny bottles of nail polish in every shade imaginable.

"Um… I don't know," Lindsay said, slightly overwhelmed by the wide assortment of choices. "I… well, I don't usually wear nail polish, so…"

"Well, you can take your time deciding while we soak your feet," Marta suggested, helping Lindsay into the chair and lowering her feet into the steaming, lavender-scented water. "A lot of women like what we call Summer Toes – a light, bright colour that looks great with sandals. Or if you have a special outfit in mind, we could try and find a shade that matches."

Lindsay sipped her tea while her eyes roamed the shelves. "We're here for a family wedding," she said tentatively.

"What colour is your dress?"

"Purple," Lindsay said.

"Light purple – like a lavender or a mauve?" Marta asked, pulling a few of the bottles from the shelf to allow Lindsay a better look. "Or is it a deeper purple? Like this one?"

She pulled a tiny bottle of a deep, vibrant purple from the shelf and Lindsay nodded her head eagerly. "That's it," she said, taking the tiny vial in her hand and holding it up to the light. "That's the colour exactly."

Marta smiled and took the bottle from her, turning it over to glance at the name on the bottom. "A nice choice," she said. "It's called Midnight Temptress." She glanced up at Lindsay and gave her a little wink. "Think the husband will like that name?"

"Definitely," Lindsay giggled, wiggling her toes in the water. "Mmm… this is so nice. I'll have to tell him that this afternoon has earned him a couple of free passes out of the doghouse."

Marta laughed, pulling one of Lindsay's feet from the water and gently drying it before moving on to the other. "So it was his idea to send you here for the afternoon?" she asked.

"Yeah," Lindsay nodded. "He knew I'd been kind of stressed out at work and thought this might be a nice way to help me relax."

"Aw. That's actually quite sweet," Marta said. "And is it working?"

"You bet it is," Lindsay replied, snuggling down into her robe and sipping at her tea as Marta began to work her magic on her tired feet. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine what Danny and Lucy would be up to this afternoon; although she was enjoying herself immensely, she couldn't help but wish that she could be in two places at once. Seeing the two of them playing on the beach the day before had been wonderful; there were few things she loved more than seeing her big, tough New Yorker playing with his tiny little princess. And the way Lucy absolutely adored him… it made Lindsay all the more excited about growing their small family. Her hand idly moved to cover her belly and a wide smile lit her face.

* * *

Lucy had slept soundly for most of the afternoon, allowing Danny to lounge on the patio and try to catch up on some reading. He'd grabbed one of the forensics journals he'd snuck into his luggage when Lindsay wasn't looking and stretched out on the chaise longue with the magazine propped open on his lap, flipping idly through the pages. But his mind was elsewhere and he caught himself rereading the same few passages over and over again, the words refusing to register in his brain. Finally giving up, he set the journal aside and leaned back with his arms folded behind his head.

Another baby. Wow. _Another baby?_ Wow. If someone had told him a few short years ago that he would be happily married to the woman of his dreams with a healthy, happy little girl and another on the way… well, he wouldn't have believed it. And yet here he was. He was both excited and nervous about the prospect. For starters, they would definitely have to find a bigger place; they were cramped as it was with just the three of them in their current apartment and although they hadn't really discussed it at length yet, what Danny really wanted was to get out of the city and find someplace a little quieter where their kids could play outside in a yard, not in some park almost six blocks from their apartment.

But moving out of the city meant a longer commute, which would drastically reduce the time they got to spend together as a family. He loved his job and he knew how privileged both he and Lindsay were to be able to do something that they both enjoyed, but sometimes the erratic nature of their work drove him crazy. He had lost count of all the times he'd missed out on dinner with his girls or getting to put Lucy to bed, never mind the fact that when things got really busy at the lab, days would go by during which he and Lindsay got barely a moment alone with one another.

He sighed and scrubbed his hands over his face. He knew he was over thinking things and getting himself worked up over nothing. That was exactly why he loved his wife so much; she had a way of calming him down when he'd let his mind wander off into all the _what ifs_. She would gently remind him that it wasn't up to him to solve all of their problems – they were in this together, after all. They would sit down and talk it through and Lindsay would methodically lay everything out in a way that was far less overwhelming than the jumbled thoughts that ran through his mind.

His ears perked up at the sound of Lucy beginning to stir from her nap and he hoisted himself to his feet and arched his back, stretching and letting out a lazy yawn before he slipped back inside the suite and gently lifted his little girl from her crib. "Hey Lucybear," he whispered, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "You have a good sleep?" She graced him with a sleepy smile and curled her little body snugly against his chest. "What do you wanna do this afternoon? Huh? You wanna go to the park? Or do you want Daddy to take you swimming again."

"Wanna s'ing."

"You want to swing? I think we can do that," Danny said. "Sounds like we're going to the park then, hey Luce?"

Once he'd changed her diaper, gotten her into her shoes and applied a liberal amount of sunscreen to any and all exposed skin on her arms, legs and face, Danny settled Lucy into her stroller and headed for the park. She had been bright and alert on the short walk down the street and was squirming impatiently by the time Danny had set the breaks on the stroller and the moment her little feet hit the grass she had been off like a shot across the park, making a beeline for the swings.

"Lucy, come on back here please," he called out from where he had just taken a seat on a park bench.

Lucy came to a wobbly stop, turning and looking at Danny over her shoulder while she pointed a chubby finger at the playground. "Yoo-see p'ay now," she informed him.

"Yeah, I know you want to play, sweetie," Danny said, rifling through Lucy's diaper bag for the food he'd brought along. "But come and eat your snack first and then we can go play."

"No wannit."

Danny smiled and shook his head at the defiant look on his daughter's face. Although everyone said she was the spitting image of him, when she jutted out her chin like that all he could see was a miniature version of Lindsay staring back at him.

"No? You don't want your orange?" he asked, starting to peel one of the tiny, sweet Clemintines he'd picked up when they'd wandered around the marketplace earlier that day. "I guess Daddy will have to eat it all then."

A look of utmost horror crossed Lucy's face and she toddled quickly back to Danny. "No, Dada. No! Mine! Yoo-see oh-wanz." She steadied herself with one hand on his knee while the other reached out, little fingers wiggling in earnest for her snack. "Mine."

"That's not how we ask for things, Luce," Danny gently reprimanded while he began separating the orange into segments. "What do you say?"

"Mine… p'ease?"

With a chuckle, Danny ruffled Lucy's wild blonde curls. "Close enough, kiddo. Here you go," he said, handing her a piece of her orange. He watched as she gnawed on one end of the segment, sucking all the juice from within before handing him the remnants. "Ew," he said, staring down at the soggy, shrivelled membrane in his palm. "Well that's one way to eat an orange, I guess."

"Yup," Lucy concurred, grabbing another few pieces from Danny's lap and giving them the same treatment. When she had sucked the last of the orange dry, she grinned up at her father. "All done. P'ay?"

"You're a persistent little squirt, aren't ya?" Danny laughed as Lucy clapped her hands excitedly. He pulled a small pack of baby wipes from his pocket and did his best to get as much of the sticky, pulpy residue from her face and hands before she wiggled out of his grasp and took off across the small grassy space toward the playground. Danny followed close behind, tossing the leftovers from Lucy's snack into a garbage can and using a second wipe on his own fingers before he snatched a giggling Lucy up in his arms and blew a loud, wet raspberry on her belly while he carried her over to the swing set.

* * *

The playground had held Lucy's attention for nearly an hour when her enthusiasm began to wane. Danny had pushed her on the baby swing then watched as she climbed to the top of the miniature pre-schooler's slide, balking at his attempts to help her with an adamant "Yoo-see do it." After a few rides, the slide too had lost its allure and Lucy had contented herself with digging around in the sand, babbling to herself about the imaginary world she had created using only mounds of sand and an assortment of sticks and rocks collected from the small knoll of trees at the edge of the park.

Danny leaned back on the heels of his hands, his legs stretched out in front of him as he watched Lucy from his seat on the grass a few feet away. Every once in a while she would look up from the land of make believe and catch his attention with a proud grin.

"Dada, see? See?" she asked, gesturing to the newest addition to her dirt creation.

"I see baby," Danny replied, smiling at her over the rims of his sunglasses. They repeated this ritual several times until Danny glanced at his watch and realized it was getting late. Lindsay would be finished in the spa any time now and he still hadn't made any plans for dinner. He gave Lucy his usual five minute warning, to which Lucy merely grunted an acknowledgement before delving once more into her made-up wonderland.

When the five minutes were up, Danny pushed himself up from the grass and crouched down beside the sandbox.

"Hey, Luce. It's time to go," he said.

"No."

Danny raised his eyebrows at his daughter who had her back to him and was busying herself with digging a large hole which she then proceeded to fill with pine cones. "Lucy…" Danny repeated, his tone stern as he tapped her on the shoulder. "Daddy said it's time to go."

"No wanna."

"Lucy Messer, it's time for us to go meet Mommy now. So Daddy is going to count to three and then we're going to go." Lucy still kept her back to him, letting out a huff of annoyance at his interruption. "One…" Danny began to count. "Two… Three. Alright, come on missy. Time to go."

Lucy squawked loudly in protest when Danny lifted her from the sandbox, holding her at arm's length as she kicked and flailed in his arms, her little face scrunched up and her cheeks flushed bright red as her tantrum erupted in full force. Employing the age-old trick somehow inherently known by all toddlers the world over, Lucy suddenly when limp and boneless in his arms, leaving Danny scrambling to ensure he didn't drop her. He crouched down again, letting Lucy's feet rest on the grass but maintaining his grip on her and thus thwarting her plans to escape back to the sanctuary of her sandbox, which only served to infuriate her further. Her screams doubled in volume, catching the attention of the other occupants of the park. Danny felt his own cheeks burning; how many times had he as a single guy glared at some hapless parent trying to deal with a tantrumming child? It had all seemed so simple to him back then. Surely the parents must have been doing something wrong to have a child so badly behaved.

But he knew better now. While Lucy was generally a very happy and well-mannered child, she had recently learned the word "no" and was reaching the age where she wanted to see how far she could push her parents in her attempts to test the limits of her boundaries. After Lucy's first epic meltdown, Danny and Lindsay had sat down and decided how they were going to deal with this behaviour because there was no way that they were going to let her make a scene just to get her own way. He was glad that they were on the same page, but as in everything regarding child-rearing, following through with their plan of attack was easier said than done.

He knew that if he let Lucy go back into the sandbox her screams would soon be forgotten and his happy, bubbly daughter would be returned to him in a matter of seconds. However, he also knew that if he caved it would only serve to strengthen her resolve to continue using the same method to get her own way in the future. So after shrugging off the judgmental eyes of the other people in the park, Danny leaned forward and spoke in a quiet but authoritative voice.

"Lucy, you can keep on screaming kiddo but you're not getting back in that sandbox today. Playtime is over. And if you want to come back to play here tomorrow you need to stop this right now."

Her screams having lessened somewhat as she pondered her father's words, Lucy glared at him through puffy, tear-filled eyes.

"Alright, let's go," Danny said. Reaffirming his grip on his squirming daughter, he picked her up and balanced her on his hip. Realizing that she had lost the battle, Lucy's screams returned to their former volume while Danny set her in her stroller and buckled her in. "You're going into Time-Out when we get back to our room," he informed her. Taking a quick look around to ensure that he hadn't left any of Lucy's belongings behind, he grabbed the stroller's handles and began the trek back to the resort.

* * *

Lucy's cries continued all the way back to the hotel and Danny shot apologetic glances at the hotel staff and fellow guests as he wheeled her through the lobby and into the waiting elevator. By the time they reached the door to their suite he was nearing his very last nerve. He irritably swiped his keycard through the card reader and shoved open the door, pushing the stroller in ahead of him and letting the door slam shut behind him, startling Lindsay who was sitting on the couch with her phone cradled in her hands, having just returned from the spa.

"Hey, I was just about to call you," she said, her smile quickly fading to a look of concern as she took in the obvious tension between father and daughter. "Everything alright? What happened?"

Danny shook his head and rounded the stroller. "Just having a bit of a meltdown," he said as calmly as possible while he reached down and began to unbuckle Lucy. "Someone's going into time-out for a few minutes and she's not very happy about it. Just gimme a sec and… Ow! Jesus!" he exclaimed, wincing when Lucy's little foot shot out and nailed him hard right in the family jewels as she thrashed against her restraints. Danny groaned, his hands moving to cover the assaulted region of his body as he doubled over in pain. His eyes began to water and he stumbled backward a few steps, breathing deeply to try and collect himself. He knew Lucy hadn't meant to hurt him, but damn that stung!

"Lucy!" Lindsay reprimanded as she sprang up from her seat. Lucy looked up at her, her cheeks flushed and her eyes wide and watery with tears of remorse, her anger at not having gotten her way now all but forgotten. "Okay, Luce. That's it. Time out."

"No, Mama! No Yoo-see owt!"

"Sorry Lucy, but it's not okay to yell at Daddy like that," Lindsay said sternly as she scooped Lucy out of her stroller. "And it's definitely not okay to kick Daddy."

With Lucy sobbing into her shoulder, Lindsay reached into her crib with her free hand and quickly removed her toys, tossing them unceremoniously onto the floor before setting her down on the mattress and pushing the crib into the bedroom, leaving the door slightly ajar as she returned to the main room of the suite. Lucy's apologetic cries broke her heart and it took everything she had not to simply turn around and cuddle her close. But she knew that in order to dissuade this type of behaviour she and Danny had to be consistent when doling out Lucy's punishment, like it or not.

While she'd been attending to Lucy, Danny had hobbled into the kitchenette and was in the process of twisting a tray of ice cubes, popping out a handful of ice into a small towel before he dropped down on the couch, placing the impromptu ice pack to his groin and groaning appreciatively at the ice's healing coolness.

"Sorry," he murmured as Lindsay sat down beside him. He smiled sheepishly at her. "I was hoping to get Luce calmed down before you got back."

"It's okay," Lindsay assured him. "You want to tell me what happened?"

Danny let out a careworn sigh. "I don't know. She was fine all afternoon; she had a good nap and we had a great time at the park. But it all went to hell when I told her it was time to go. She just dug in her heels and refused." He shifted slightly, repositioning the ice on his nether regions which were just starting to become comfortably numb. "I tried to reason with her, tried counting to three… the usual. But she just started screaming at me and I felt like such an asshole. People were glaring at me with that look; you know the one that says 'who the hell let that guy have a kid? Why can't he just shut her up'?" He scrubbed his hands over his face in frustration. "Anyway, we came back here and you know the rest." He gave Lindsay a small smile and reached out for her hand, placing a gentle kiss to the backs of her fingers. "Thanks for backing me up… you don't think I was being too hard on her?"

Lindsay shook her head resolutely. "We're a team, Danny. We talked about how to handle situations like this and from what you told me, I don't think I would have done anything differently."

"Besides getting kicked in the nuts, you mean," Danny quipped.

"Well, obviously," Lindsay giggled. She lowered her eyes to the ice pack and then looked back up at Danny, wiggling her eyebrows suggestively. "Want me to kiss it better?"

"Maybe later," Danny chuckled, sliding his arm around his wife's shoulders and pulling her tightly into his side, planting a kiss to the top of her head. "But first I want to hear about your afternoon. You have a good time?"

"Mmm… I did," Lindsay replied, snuggling into him and wrapping her arm around his waist as she pressed a series of delicate kisses to his jaw. "I really, really love you, you know. Thank you so much, Danny. I had the best time."

"Anything for my girl," Danny sighed as he buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled deeply. "God you smell good."

"It's the massage oil," Lindsay explained. "I picked tea tree and mint. You like it?"

"Mmm… very much. So what did you get done?" he murmured against her skin.

"I went in the steam room and then I had a massage, which was heavenly. Then Marta did my toes… see?" She lifted her foot and wiggled her toes, showing off her immaculate purple polish, which Danny admired with an indulgent smile.

"Nice. I like the purple."

"It goes with my dress for the wedding," Lindsay explained.

"Does it now?"

Lindsay nodded. "It does," she said. "Wanna know what it's called?"

"What what's called?" Danny asked.

"The colour; it's called Midnight Temptress."

Danny cast his gaze down to her toes once again, trailing his eyes appreciatively up her body. "Is that a hint for what I have to look forward to?" he asked with an impish glint in his eyes.

"Maybe. Oh, and I got something done for you, cowboy."

Confused, Danny regarded her askance. "Babe, the spa thing was supposed to be all about you," he said. "Besides, what could you possibly get done for me?" A look of horror crossed his features. "You didn't get a tattoo did you? They don't do that at spas, right?"

"No they don't, genius," Lindsay teased. "No, it's just something I've always wanted to try but I'd never gotten around to doing. And I figured seeing as I was there and you had so generously given me the afternoon off… I'd do something that maybe we both would like."

"Okay now I'm really curious," Danny said. "What did you do?"

"All in good time," she replied evasively, touching the tip of her finger to his nose. "But first I'm going to get Lucy; her time-out is up and it sounds like she's calmed down a bit now."

"Alright. Just keep her away from my boys," Danny said, gesturing down to his crotch. "Any more abuse like that and I'm not going to be much use to you in the bedroom for a while."

"I don't know, Dan. Your boys have always been particularly resilient," Lindsay quipped as she got to her feet. "I'm sure with the proper motivation you'd be able to grit your teeth and work through the pain."

"Just gimme a little while and I'll see if I'm up to the challenge," Danny chuckled and gave her backside an affectionate pat as she winked at him and crossed the room to liberate Lucy from her time-out.

He listened to the sounds of mother and daughter as his wife soothed away Lucy's tears, the little girl offering her heartfelt apologies.

"Yoo-see sowee, Mama."

"I know you're sorry, sweetheart," Lindsay cooed. "I know. But you need to say sorry to Daddy, not me okay? Come on, let's go."

Seconds later the bedroom door swung wide open and Lucy came toddling out, a book clutched tightly to her little chest. She stopped a few feet away from Danny and regarded him warily, her big blue eyes still red and puffy from all her crying and her face smeared with an attractive coating of snot from her runny nose. His heart melting at the sight, Danny smiled at her and opened his arms wide, a clear indication that all was forgiven and forgotten.

"Come here, Lucybear," Danny said as Lucy clambered onto the couch and crawled carefully onto his lap. Danny guided her little feet away from his injured area and pulled her into a tight embrace, peppering her tearstained cheeks with soft kisses, not caring one jot about the fact she was wiping her runny nose all over him.

"Sowee, Dada. Yoo-see sowee."

"Aw, I know you are, Lucybear," Danny assured her, rubbing her back as she wound her arms around his neck and cuddled against his chest. "You're Daddy's good girl, aren't you? And now we know that when Daddy says it's time to go, it's time to go, right?"

"Yup," Lucy agreed.

"Alright. So are we buddies again?" Lucy nodded her head eagerly and Danny tenderly wiped her snotty face with the Kleenex Lindsay handed him before he rubbed his nose against hers, Eskimo style. "Love you, Luce. Kisses?" He pursed his lips and Lucy graced him with a sloppy kiss, finalizing their reconciliation. Smiling, he nodded at the book Lucy had discarded on the couch beside them. "Whatcha got there, Luce?"

"Dween an' Ham," Lucy informed him seriously.

"Wow, _Green Eggs and Ham_? That's my favourite book!" Danny exclaimed exuberantly.

"Weed p'ease, Dada? An' Mama too?"

"Uh… babe, what do you want to do about dinner?" Danny asked of his wife. "I didn't get a chance to call and make us reservations anywhere."

"I was thinking we could order something in and have it out on the patio," Lindsay suggested. "So, if you two can wait a few minutes, we can get dinner sorted out and then Lucy can have a special early story time."

"That sounds about right," Danny said. "What do you think, Luce? Is that a good plan?"

"Yah! 'Nees p'ease!"

Lindsay chuckled. "Okay, I'll see if there's a Chinese place that delivers," she said, pulling the phonebook from one of the drawers in the kitchenette and flipping to the restaurant section. Once she'd found one that seemed to be reasonably priced and offered most of their favourite items, she placed their order. Lucy squirmed impatiently on Danny's lap and Lindsay caught him grimacing in discomfort, so as she sunk down onto the couch she gently pulled Lucy over to nestle into the small space between them.

With the book lying open across her little legs, Lucy grinned eagerly up at her as she and Danny began to read, each of them performing their assigned roles of _Sam I Am_ or his nameless friend while Lucy dutifully fulfilled her role as page turner.

"I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, _Sam I Am_!"

"Tada! All done!" Lucy cheered as Danny read the last lines of the story and flipped the book closed. "Tank yoo!"

"You're welcome, sweetie," Lindsay said, pressing a kiss to the top of Lucy's head. "Now, you go play and dinner will be here soon." She scooted Lucy off the couch to rescue her toys, previously abandoned from her crib. With a smile on her lips as she watched Lucy gather her assorted stuffed animals for playtime, Lindsay turned to Danny and snuggled into his side, wrapping her arms around his middle. "Feel better now that you've got your little princess back?" she asked.

Danny grinned at her, nodding his head as he placed his hand on her belly. "You think we're ready to do this again?" he asked quietly. "I mean, we'll just get Lucy through this phase and boom; we'll have another little one hot on her heels telling us 'No, no, no'."

"I think we'll do just fine," Lindsay said. She looked up at her husband and graced him with a dazzling smile. "We make a good team, you and me. Don't you think?"

"Mmm… I do," Danny murmured his agreement. "I love you," he whispered in her ear.

Lindsay blushed and hid her face in the crook of his neck. "I love you too, Dan," was her whispered reply. She felt his finger under her chin, tilting her face upward and his lips met hers in a soft, loving kiss. Lindsay sighed in contentment as Danny's tongue gently explored her mouth and she fisted the front of his shirt in her fingers, getting caught up in his loving attention.

Their moment was interrupted by a blare from the suite's telephone and Danny grumbled in protest before he reluctantly withdrew from the kiss, reaching over to the side table and picking up the handset.

"Hello?" he answered. "Oh, right… yeah. I'll be down in just a minute. Thanks." Returning the phone to its cradle, he turned to his wife. "Food's here," he said. He grabbed the now liquified ice pack from his lap and Lindsay couldn't help but laugh at the watery stain on the front of his shorts. He shot her a withering glare. "Yeah, laugh it up Montana. At least my boys should be in working order again." He untangled himself from her arms and stood, tossing the towel into the sink on his way to the bedroom. "I'm just gonna change and I'll go down and get the food; the delivery guy's waiting at the front desk."

"You want me to check and make sure you're boys are okay before you go?" she teased, an amused twinkle in her eyes.

"Probably not a good idea. The guy's not gonna wait forever, babe," Danny laughed. Lindsay listened to him rooting around in their suitcase, then the rustle of fabric as he changed. Clothed in his favourite pair of baggy sweatpants and a clean, snot-free t-shirt, Danny emerged from the bedroom and grabbed his wallet from Lucy's diaper bag. "Back in a sec. You wanna get out the plates and stuff?"

"Will do," Lindsay said. "Lucy, come and help Mommy get the table set, okay?"

"No wanna," Lucy replied, deeply engrossed in whatever game she was playing with her toys.

Danny shot his wife a mischievous glance while making a beeline for the door. "This one's all yours babe," he said.

"Hey! What happened to teamwork?" Lindsay huffed.

"I'm letting you take one for the team," he replied, pulling open the door and stepping out into the hall. "See you in a few. Love you!"

"Jerk," came Lindsay's muffled reply and Danny chuckled to himself as he walked toward the elevators. He knew he would only be gone for a few minutes and that Lindsay could handle whatever Lucy threw at her. And if she couldn't? Well he'd have her back, of course. That's what teamwork was all about.

* * *

**So there we go. Again, I can't say enough good things about the wonderful folks out there who left me reviews for the last chapter, and I have to give a special shout out to those of you who sent me encouraging PMs, checking in on me and just generally reminding me that there are still folks out there who are invested in this story. I can't tell you how awesome that kind of affirmation is when I'm struggling.**

**On that same note, for those of you wondering if you'll ever see an update for Something Wicked… rest assured that Chapter 18 is in the works, so keep your eyes peeled for that one as well.**

**As always, reviews are most welcome. Love it? Hate it? (God, I hope not!) Please let me know!**


	47. If You're Gonna Spew

**A/N: And I'm back… after yet another lengthy absence. Sorry guys. Life is still crazy. I'm trying to pack up all my stuff in preparation for my big move over the next few weeks and getting ready to say goodbye to the place I've called home for the past five years as well as my co-workers and friends. On the plus side? I'm very excited to start my new job on Monday and (drumroll please…) I just bought my first house! Gah! How grown up am I? LOL.**

**On top of all that, we are still dealing with some issues here while we all try to get over a death in the family. It's been a hectic and stressful few weeks but I can see the light at the end of the tunnel now. Just bear with me for a little while longer!  
**

**Now, I have to give a quick shout out to all the Canadians who might be reading this… how great does it feel to have a Canadian team in the Stanley Cup Finals? Woo hoo! Go Vancouver!**

**And now... back to our regularly scheduled update. Thanks again for your patience and I hope you enjoy!**

* * *

"Alright ladies. Dinner's here!"

Lindsay was just getting Lucy buckled into her high chair when she heard Danny returning from his dinner run.

"Out here!" she called back. Moments later Danny appeared in the doorway, his hands laden with two plastic bags brimming with containers of take-out Chinese. He stepped out onto the terrace and dropped the bags onto the table.

"Dada, Yoo-see hewp!" Lucy excitedly informed her father, tugging on the sleeve of his t-shirt and pointing at the hastily set table. Lindsay saw the small smile on his face and he caught her eye and gave her a little wink.

"Did you help Mommy? What a good girl!" Danny praised, tickling Lucy under her chin. He turned to Lindsay. "Bribery?"

Lindsay laughed, beginning to unpack the various take-out boxes and laying them on the table. "No… I made it into a game," she explained.

"A table setting game?" Danny asked, cocking his head to the side with a bemused expression on his face. He turned to Lucy and ruffled her hair. "Wow, Luce. You need to get out more."

"Hey!" Lindsay exclaimed. "It worked didn't it?"

"Bet it was loads of fun, too," Danny teased.

Lindsay threw a packet of soy sauce at him. "Careful Messer or I'll let Lucy have another go at your boys."

Danny shot her a grin and turned his attention to their meal. Picking up one of the boxes, he popped the lid on what turned out to be Szechuan Chicken. "Mmm… smells good," he murmured appreciatively. "Hey, Luce. You hungry, baby?"

"Yah! Hungwee fo' Nees!"

"Alright, you little bottomless pit. Just gimme a second to get your dinner together," he said, grabbing a few more boxes and opening them to see what was inside. "Babe? You mind giving me a hand? Pass me Lucy's plate please." When he got no response from his wife, he asked again. "Babe… Lucy's plate. Can you pass it to me please?" Still nothing. "Lindsay! Can you please…?" His words trailed off when he looked up to see Lindsay sitting stock still in her chair, her eyes closed as she took deep breaths in and out through her mouth. "Linds? You alright?"

His question was answered as Lindsay suddenly shoved her chair back from the table and hurried inside. He heard the bathroom door slamming shut behind her followed seconds later by the unmistakable sound of her evacuating her stomach into the toilet.

"Shit," Danny muttered under his breath. He looked down at Lucy who was busily engaged in trying to grab a container of Chow Mein from the table and he managed to catch the box as it teetered on the table's edge. "Hey, kiddo. Don't grab please. Wait for Daddy to fix your plate."

"Want!" Lucy bellowed, pointing to the smorgasbord laid out in front of her. "Hungwee."

Hurriedly, Danny spooned small servings of all of the foods Lucy was likely to want onto her plate, cutting up the larger chunks into smaller bite-sized pieces before setting her plate down on the tray of her high chair and ensuring that her bib was fastened securely around her neck.

"There you go, sweetie," he said. He glanced through the living room at the closed bathroom door, then back to Lucy. "Daddy's gonna be right back, okay?" he said, stroking Lucy's hair. Leaving her to her meal, he entered their suite and crossed to the bathroom door, keeping his eyes on Lucy the whole time. He was fairly certain she'd be alright on her own, but he always worried that she'd get carried away and shove too much food into her mouth. He sure as hell wasn't going to let her choke on his watch, but he also needed to make sure Lindsay was okay. "Honey? Are you alright?" he asked, knocking softly on the door.

"Ugh," Lindsay groaned as she leaned over the toilet bowl, willing the nausea to go away. She had been so hungry only moments ago. But the moment Danny had opened the first box of Chinese food and the spicy-sweet aroma had wafted up in her face, her stomach had done an abrupt about-face and begun to churn and heave unpleasantly.

"Baby?" she heard Danny knocking again on the door, his voice laced with concern. "Is it… is it morning sickness?"

Lindsay had to smile. Morning sickness had always been a bit of an oxymoron during her first pregnancy with Lucy, usually hitting her in the early evening. In the first few weeks, before she'd broken the news to Danny, she'd spent many a miserable night curled up alone on her bathroom floor. She knew he'd been calling her and a few times she thought she'd heard him at her front door but she was avoiding him. She hadn't wanted him to find out like this. She'd wanted it to be special, something more than, "Hey, Danny. I'm having your baby. Oh, and by the way, do you mind if I throw up on you?"

As her stomach cramped and rolled again, she couldn't help but chuckle inwardly at the fact that fate had other plans for her. In the end, she had almost thrown up on him… thus forcing her hand into revealing his impending fatherhood. It wasn't exactly how she'd planned on telling him, but she figured that finding out about this new baby together as they had this morning more than made up for it.

"Go eat your dinner, honey," she called out, her voice echoing loudly off the tiled walls of the bathroom. "I'll be fine."

She waited for a beat, listening for the sound of Danny's fading footsteps. Hearing nothing she realized she should have known better and that Danny had most assuredly ignored her request and was still standing stubbornly on the other side of the door. She loved the fact that he was worried about her, that he wanted to be there for her. But she was a big girl and she'd been through this before on her own and right now, she knew that Lucy needed him more than she did.

"Baby, go keep an eye on Lucy please. I'm alright."

"Lucy's fine. I can see her from here," came Danny's reply through the door. She heard him sigh. "Can I get you anything?"

"Can I have a glass of water?" she asked.

"Sure, sweetheart. Anything else?"

"No thanks," she replied. "I think I'm going to go lie down for a few minutes and wait for this to pass."

This time she heard Danny walking away and the clink of glass against glass followed by the rush of water as he poured her drink. Satisfied after a few more minutes that her stomach was done acting up for the time being, she got to her feet and flushed the toilet before splashing a handful of cool water onto her face. After patting her face dry with one of the hotel's fluffy, white hand towels she opened the door and crept across the living room into the bedroom. A glass of water was sitting waiting for her on the small table at her bedside and her heart melted when she saw that Danny had already turned down her side of the bed and drawn the curtains for her, placing an empty garbage bucket next to the bed just in case. She dutifully drank her water and then sank into the billowy depths of the bedding and pulled the covers over her shoulders, closing her eyes and breathing deeply while hoping that the nausea would soon pass.

* * *

She must have fallen asleep. She remembered lying down on the bed and closing her eyes, telling herself that she was only going to rest for a few minutes. But as she cracked open her eyes and peered at the electric glow of the clock on her bedside table, she realized that nearly two hours had passed.

"Hey, baby. How're you feeling? You okay?"

She realized that it must have been Danny's gentle touch as he ran his fingers through her hair that had roused her from the depths of her sleep. She peered blearily up at him and gave him a tired smile.

"Hey. Why'd you let me sleep so long?" she croaked out, her voice still thick and hoarse from a combination of sleep and her bout of sickness.

"Figured you could use it," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "And I was right. You didn't even bat an eyelash at all the noise Lucy made when I gave her a bath."

Lindsay groaned. After spending the majority of the afternoon getting pampered she had wanted to give Danny the night off, especially considering the beating he'd taken at Lucy's hands – or rather, her foot – earlier that evening. "I'm sorry, honey."

"Hey, shh… Don't be sorry, Linds. It's alright," Danny soothed. "We managed. You gotta look after yourself and sometimes that's gonna mean that I pick up a little bit more slack for you. I don't mind."

Lindsay smiled up at him and let out a contented sigh as he gently massaged her scalp with his fingertips. "Mmm… I love you, Danny. Thank you."

"You're welcome, Linds," he said. "Now, you feel like eating something? Me and Luce made a quick run to the store to get a few things that you might want to eat…"

"Oh Danny, you didn't have to do that!" Lindsay exclaimed, overwhelmed by his thoughtfulness.

He blushed and smiled shyly at her. "Well, I mean obviously Chinese food is out and that's all we had. And you have to eat something, babe. Even if it's just cereal or a sandwich or something."

Lindsay reached up and cupped his face in her hands, pulling him down for a kiss. When he realized her intentions he pulled back and hastily put his hand over his mouth. "Don't… I didn't brush my teeth yet. I probably still taste like Szechuan chicken. And I…"

"You don't want me to be sick all over you?" Lindsay finished his sentence.

"I'd rather you didn't," he said. A mischievous grin broke out on his face and he reached for her empty glass on the bedside table and held it in front of her. "But if you're gonna spew… spew into this."

Lindsay burst out laughing, her shoulders shuddering as she buried her face in her pillow until she was gasping for breath. She rolled onto her back, wiping at her eyes and shaking her head. "Do I even want to know how long you've been waiting for a chance to use that line?"

Danny chewed his lip thoughtfully. "Well… _Wayne's World_ came out in what… 1992? So, yeah. Pretty much since then."

"You are such a dork," Lindsay said, smiling and reaching up to ruffle his hair affectionately.

"Whatever. It takes one to know one," Danny said with a cheeky grin. "But seriously, Linds. You gotta eat something. How about a sandwich? I got you pickles."

Lindsay scrunched up her nose in distaste. "Danny, I hate pickles."

"Yeah, I know," he chuckled, "But when you were pregnant with Lucy all you wanted to eat was pickles. If you hadn't been pregnant with her first grandchild, I'm pretty sure my ma would've tried to murder you for putting pickles on her lasagna. You put 'em on everything… even ice cream." Now it was Danny's turn to grimace in disgust. "I figured it wouldn't hurt to be prepared. So… what can I get you? And don't say _Pickles a la Mode_."

Lindsay thought for a moment. She really was getting hungry now with all Danny's talk of food. "Can I have a ham and cheese sandwich?" she asked. Danny opened his mouth to say something, but she quickly interjected. "And hold the pickles, you wiseass."

"Yes ma'am," Danny said, leaning forward and pressing a quick kiss to her forehead. "No pickles. Gotcha."

* * *

Fifteen minutes later, Lindsay was sitting up in bed, licking her fingers after polishing off her third sandwich.

"You all done?" Danny asked, taking her empty plate from her.

"Mmm… that was so good, Danny. Thank you."

"Even with the pickles?" Danny teased, trying in vain to duck out of her reach when she swatted at him. "Hey! Don't get mad at me; it's not my fault I know you better than you know yourself."

Lindsay crossed her arms over her chest and shot him a withering glare. After taking a bite of the first ham and cheese sandwich Danny had made her, her body had screamed at her that it was missing something. She wanted something salty and tangy and it killed her to have to admit that Danny was right. He'd smirked triumphantly at her when she'd sheepishly requested that he add the cursed condiment to her next sandwich. She sighed as she realized that pickles were going to be making a dramatic return to her diet for the foreseeable future.

"You don't have to be so damn smug about it," she huffed. "It's your child that wants pickles, not me. So technically, it is your fault."

"You keep telling yourself that, babe," Danny said, pecking her lightly on the cheek before he got to his feet. "I'm just gonna clean up our poor excuse for a kitchen. You want anything else while I'm up?"

"Can you run the water in the tub for me?" she asked. "I think I want to have a bath."

"That I can definitely do," Danny said before he disappeared out into the main room of their suite. Lindsay heard the clink of dishes against the stainless steel sink before his soft footfalls headed in the direction of the bathroom. The rumble of water as it began to fill the tub was Lindsay's cue to get her butt out of bed and she shoved aside her blankets and quickly gathered her toiletries from within her suitcase. She dropped her wares off in the bathroom and then crept back out into the living room to peek at Lucy who was still slumbering peacefully in her crib while Danny quietly washed up in the kitchenette.

She carefully adjusted Lucy's blankets which were tangled around her little body, smoothing them out and then softly stroking the little girl's rosy cheek and just taking a moment to watch her sleep.

Realizing that the tub was probably close to full by now, she hurried back into the bathroom and turned off the faucet, stemming the rush of water. After stripping out of her clothes and dropping them into a pile on the floor at her feet, Lindsay carefully lowered herself into the bath, sighing at the feel of the warm water against her skin. She had just leaned back and closed her eyes when she heard the bathroom door creak open and she turned to see Danny standing in the doorway.

"Hey baby," she said, extending her hand to him. "Come join me?"

It took Danny all of five nanoseconds to make up his mind and she couldn't help but smile as she watched him eagerly shed his clothing. She sat up and made room for him to slide in behind her, giving him a moment to get settled before she eased herself back against his chest, her head resting comfortably in the crook of his neck.

"How're your boys?" she asked. "I'm not hurting you, am I?"

Danny chuckled. "I'm good, Linds. Thanks," he assured her. "Although I gotta say I think we might have soccer star on our hands with Luce. She may be little, but she sure packs a whollop in her kick."

"My poor baby," Lindsay murmured, turning her head and pressing delicate kisses to his jaw. "She leave you feeling a little tenderized?"

"You could say that," Danny acknowledged with a laugh. "I was worried she might have put me out of commission for a while there. I guess it's a good thing I already got you good and knocked up."

"Oh wow. What a sweet thing for you to say," Lindsay teased, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "And they say romance is dead."

"Shut up," Danny said, giving her a playful nudge. "What do you call this? I'd say this is pretty damn romantic. I can't even remember the last time we took a bath together, can you?"

Lindsay thoughtfully chewed on her lip. "No, actually I can't," she admitted. "We used to do it all the time. What stopped us?"

"Well, I think we discovered that showers were much more fun," Danny said, nuzzling his face into her neck and gently nipping at her ear. Besides, when I was down and out with my back, I had to use that stupid chair we got just to get in and out of the tub, so that meant there was no room for you."

"And before that I was too fat," Lindsay sighed.

"Stop that," Danny said firmly, his arms sliding around her waist, his hands coming to rest on her still flat stomach. "You were never too fat, Lindsay. You have always been and will always be just the right size."

Lindsay grunted an acknowledgement of his words and he tightened his hold on her. "I'm serious, Lindsay. Even when you were ready to pop with Lucy… God, your body drove me wild. Your belly was so damn sexy and your boobs…" His words trailed off as he slid his hands up and cupped her breasts in his hands, teasing her nipples delicately with the pads of his thumbs.

"Danny…"

"Shit. Sorry, Linds," he said, hurriedly removing his hands and setting them out of harm's way on the rim of the tub when he realized he'd gotten carried away. "I'm sorry. I know you're not feeling good. I shouldn't have done that."

Lindsay hated to hear him berate himself for doing nothing more than showing her how much he appreciated and desired her. "Hey, don't do that," she said, reaching behind her to cup his cheek in her hand. "I love it when you touch me like that… it feels so good, Danny. Do you have any idea how special it makes me feel to know that even when I felt like I was my ugliest and fattest, you still wanted me?"

Danny offered her a small smile. "I always want you," he said simply. "I just don't want you to feel like I expect you to… I mean, just because I'm up for it… I don't want you to feel obligated."

She drew his face toward her and placed a loving kiss to his lips.

Danny responded tentatively at first, but when Lindsay pressed to deepen the kiss he caved and parted his lips for her, eagerly drawing her tongue into his mouth.

"No," he mumbled breathlessly against her lips after breaking their kiss. "Baby, we gotta stop or I'm gonna need a cold shower after this bath."

Lindsay giggled and grabbed the fluffy pink poof from her bag of toiletries. "Good to know I've still got it," she said, lathering it up and placing it in his hand.

"Jerk," Danny scoffed as he begrudgingly began to trail the sudsy poof over her arms. "You know very well that you never lost it."

Lindsay closed her eyes and leaned against the strong chest of her husband while he busied himself with ensuring that every inch of her torso was gently scrubbed clean. When he was satisfied with a job well done, he simply held her, tenderly caressing her belly and whispering loving reassurances in her ear, lulling her back to the verge of sleep.

Finally, the chill of the water got too much for him. "Linds, you still awake?" he asked, giving her shoulder a gentle shake. "The water's getting cold, babe and I'm turning into a giant prune. Come on. Let's get out and get you back to bed."

"Mmm… sounds good," Lindsay murmured drowsily. Danny got out first, grabbing a towel from the rack and tucking it around his waist. He then took a second towel and held it out for his wife before helping her out of the tub and beginning to dry her off. He started with her back and then placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her so she was facing him.

While he helped her dry off her shoulders and chest he let his gaze trail admiringly down her body; her round breasts, her lithe belly, and below that… his mouth suddenly went very dry and he knew he was probably gaping, but… _damn_.

"Whoa," he breathed. "Baby, you… um… wow," he managed to choke out around the lump that had formed in his throat. "When did you do that?"

"Hmm?"

It took Lindsay a moment for Danny's question to sink into her brain and when it finally did she gasped. _Shit_. She hadn't told him yet. She had meant for it to be a surprise.

Lindsay had always kept her bikini line neatly trimmed – more for herself than for Danny – even resorting to waxing on occasion although she had never gone for anything quite so drastic before. But she'd seen the treatment on the "menu" of services offered by the spa and had decided to go for it. She'd heard that it was a huge turn on for a lot of guys and she hoped that Danny would be no exception.

"Uh… surprise?" she said, feeling slightly anxious while she waited for his reaction. "You like?"

He nodded, his eyes still focused on her most intimate area. "Yeah I like it. I like it a lot."

"Really?"

"Fuck, yeah. That is… God, Linds. That's just sexy as hell." He finally managed to tear his gaze away and look up at her, a ridiculous grin on his face. "Is that what you were talking about earlier? You did that for me?"

"Well… yeah," Lindsay said.

"What made you decide to do it? Not that I'm complaining… but you know you didn't have to."

"I know," Lindsay replied, her body tensing as he began softly stroking the narrow strip of hair that was all that remained of her curls atop her womanly mound. "But I thought I'd try something different for a change."

Danny smiled at her. "Don't they call that the landing strip?" he asked, giving her a cheeky wink. "You trying to tell me something, babe? You think I need directions?"

"Shut up," Lindsay giggled. "You know you don't need anything of the kind."

"Alright. Just checking," Danny chuckled. He cupped her gently in the palm of his hand and looked up at her. "Do you have any idea how unbelievably sexy it is that you would do something like that? You're killing me here, Linds. I think I'm gonna need that cold shower after all."

Lindsay smiled shyly at him and reached up to trail her fingers along his jaw. "I was planning on seducing you, you know," Lindsay admitted somewhat sheepishly. "But apparently my hormones had other plans. I'm sorry."

"S'alright," Danny said, leaning in and pressing a chaste kiss to her lips. "I'm pretty sure I'll still be up for being seduced tomorrow." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively at her. "I love that you did this for me, sweetheart. But let me put you to bed and then I can spend all night thinking about all the ways that I can say thank you."

With a smile he wrapped Lindsay's towel around her before he pulled the plug on the bath and laced his fingers with hers, leading her back into the bedroom.

* * *

**Well, there you have it. I know it's extremely fluffy, but after everything going on for me personally... well, sometimes you just need some fluff. Don't like it? Tough beans. :D**

**Just a quick FYI... I've never been pregnant, never had morning sickness... although I have witnessed it first hand with some of my friends. I realize that this may not be the most accurate representation of the symptoms, etc... but aside from going out and getting pregnant myself (I'm not _that_ much of a method writer LOL) I've had to settle for doing a little internet research. Any inaccuracies, etc are my own and I hope they don't detract from the story.  
**

**On another note, I totally forgot to mention during my last chapter, but **_**High School Daze**_** is now officially one year old! **

**Thanks for sticking with me, and please feel free to leave a review if you feel so inclined. They are very much appreciated ;)**


	48. The Last Hurrah

**A/N: Many, many apologies for the unforgivably long wait for this update. I've had parts of this one written for quite a while now but never found time until recently to actually sit down and put the finishing touches to it. I hope that it's not too disjointed and that it still fits in with the flow of the story. **

**This chapter is dedicated to all those lovely folks who've sent PMs and messages to me - both on FFNet and over at DLC - to make sure that I was okay while I went MIA for a few months. Your words of encouragement and support buoyed my spirits more than words can express. Thank you!**

**I'll stop blabbering on and on now and leave you to (hopefully) enjoy a new instalment of High School Daze! (About friggin' time, right? LOL.)**

* * *

"No, Mama. Yoo-see do it!"

The sound of Lucy's little voice ringing out with the clarity of a bell drew Danny from his sleep. He knew before his hand skimmed across the sheets that Lindsay was already up, but he thought it wouldn't hurt to check. Her side of the bed was already cold and empty and he let himself sink into a momentary funk. He had been hoping to have a chance this morning – before Lucy woke up – to take some quality time to explore his wife's body and really savour the little gift she'd surprised him with last night. But from the sound of the television playing softly in the living room and the sounds of both Lucy and Lindsay's voices as they chatted in staged whispers together in the other room…

"No sweetie, you need to let Mommy do that. It's hot."

"Mama!"

"Shh. Quiet honey. Daddy's still sleeping."

Danny scrubbed his face with his hands. His sleep the night before had been mediocre at best. Never mind the fact that he had been phenomenally turned on after he'd put Lindsay to bed, but he'd also been more than a little nervous about what today would bring. His mother had called while Lindsay had been sleeping after her bout of "morning" sickness to let him know that she and his father would be arriving just in time for dinner the next day with the majority of the wedding guests. It had been all he could do to keep himself from spilling the beans to her over the phone. She'd asked to speak to Lindsay about something and when he'd mentioned that she was having a rest after an upset stomach Danny could practically hear the gears in his mother's head begining to turn. She'd given him the third degree; what had she eaten? Had it come on suddenly or had she been feeling unwell all day? There wasn't a flu going around so why was she suddenly sick? He'd managed to bumble his way through the conversation, inventing some lame, half-assed excuse but if he knew his mother, she'd be watching the pair of them like a hawk for the rest of the week, ready to pounce if she so much as caught a whiff of the possibility of another grandchild.

It wasn't that he didn't want to share the news with his mother, or anyone else for that matter. Actually, it was quite the opposite. He was so excited by the prospect that it was all he could do to stop himself from climbing onto the roof of the hotel and shouting it out for all to hear. But he knew that it was important to make absolutely certain that they were in fact pregnant and that the baby was safe and healthy before they made an announcement of any kind. And so Danny had lain awake for a fair part of the night worrying about how he was supposed to guard his actions for the next few days while his entire family was milling about.

He knew that, like a trooper, Lindsay would be able to hold her own and could probably keep control of herself while they were around his family long enough to avoid suspicion. But he wasn't so sure of himself. When she'd been pregnant with Lucy, he'd felt an almost overpowering compulsion to touch her belly, to feel the life that was slowly growing inside of her, and to reassure her that despite the fact that she felt she looked like a beached whale, he still found her incredibly, _incredibly_ alluring.

Danny let out a groan of frustration when, as his mind once again turned to his wife's body, he felt himself becoming aroused. Despite himself, he had to chuckle. He had been able to escape the need for a cold shower last night, convincing himself that he would surely get some blessed relief in the morning. But now that his prospects of getting a little action were looking grim, it seemed as though a cold shower was definitely first on his list of things to do.

He was just about to lift the covers and get out of bed when he heard the sound of little footsteps approaching and he rushed to cover himself again, conscious of the fact that he was completely naked under the blankets and he most certainly did not want Lucy to walk in and find him in his current state of discomposure.

"Mama, p'ease! Yoo-see do it!"

Lucy's little voice carried through the bedroom door that had been left slightly ajar and Danny had to smile at the hint of stubborn insistence he could hear as she fought once again to display her independence.

"Lucy, this is heavy, sweetie," he heard Lindsay whisper. "Can you help Mommy by opening the door?"

Just as Danny was getting himself settled beneath the covers, forcing himself to think unsexy thoughts and shifting the blankets to hide the evidence of his morning arousal, the door opened and Lucy came barrelling into the room, flinging herself at the bed with a delighted squeal when she saw her father was awake.

"Dada!"

"Lucy! Shh…" Lindsay hissed. Rounding the doorway with a tray laden with breakfast, she smiled when she saw Danny scooping a giggling Lucy up onto the bed with him. "Oh. Hey, you're up!" she exclaimed.

_In more ways than one_, Danny thought wryly. Aloud, he said, "Yeah. Just woke up a few minutes ago." Letting his eyes rest on the tray he grinned at his wife. "Wow. Looks like you guys have been busy."

Lindsay set the tray down on the small desk in the corner of the room and shrugged her shoulders somewhat apologetically. "It's not much," she said. "I saw that you and Lucy got eggs last night and there was some bread left over from my sandwiches… I did what I could with what we had."

"Well it smells great sweetheart. Thank you," Danny said, accepting the plate of eggs and toast and the cup of coffee she handed to him before she crawled onto the other side of the bed, gently chastising Lucy who was bouncing excitedly down by their feet.

"Come on you little jumping bean. You're going to make Daddy spill his coffee. No bouncing on the bed. You know the rules," she said. Lucy bounced defiantly a few more times before her mother's withering glare had her plunking down heavily on her diaper-padded backside. "That's better. Thank you for listening like a big girl."

"Yoo-see bee durwl," Lucy proclaimed proudly as Lindsay drew her onto her lap and cuddled her close, trying to keep the toddler from sneaking bites of Danny's breakfast from his plate.

"You sure you're a big girl?" Danny asked with his mouth full of eggs. "I thought you were my little princess."

"Nope. Bee durwl."

Danny shook his head and grinned at his wife. "Well, I've been told," he said. He took another bite then suddenly realized that he was eating alone. "You guys not having breakfast this morning or what?"

Lindsay reached out and wiped a few crumbs from the corners of his mouth. "Danny, please don't talk with your mouth full. Monkey see monkey do, remember?" she reminded him, nodding down at Lucy who was staring at the toast on Danny's plate with ill-concealed longing in her big blue eyes.

Suitably chastised, he swallowed before offering his apologies. "Sorry," he said, breaking off a piece of toast and handing it to Lucy who eagerly stuffed the hunk of crusty bread into her mouth and began chewing loudly.

"And to answer your question… I was starving this morning and you were still sleeping so we already ate a while ago." She scootched closer to him, letting her fingers toy aimlessly with the tuft of hair on his chest as she leaned in to peck him softly on the cheek. "And after you were so good to me last night… I figured you deserved a little treat so Lucy and I made you breakfast in bed, right Luce?"

"Bwekkas i' bed!" Lucy crowed, clapping her hands and getting to her feet, poised as if to jump once again. She caught Lindsay's eye and thought twice about it, deciding instead to amuse herself by burrowing under the throw blanket at the foot of the bed and playing a rather one-sided game of peek-a-boo with her parents.

Danny smiled and set his empty plate aside on his bedside table before he wrapped his arms around his wife and pulled her close as he leaned back against his pillows. "Tell you the truth, Linds… I was kinda hoping for another kind of treat in bed this morning," he whispered huskily, his lips brushing against the soft shell of her ear. "You got me so goddamn hot last night, babe. You got no idea how much I want you right now."

Lindsay's cheeks flushed a deep rosy hue and she turned to him, biting her lip. "I know, Danny. I'm sorry," she said. "I was hoping that this morning… but I got up to go to the bathroom and Lucy was already awake. I felt like I hardly got any time with her yesterday…"

"Hey, hey. Don't apologize," Danny said, placing a kiss to her temple. "I understand, babe. I really do. You missed her yesterday. I get that." He felt Lindsay begin to relax against him and he caressed her back while burying his face in her neck and inhaling deeply, taking in the lingering scent of her shower gel from the night before. "But just so you know, if you and I happen to find ourselves alone in a secluded spot sometime today -" he paused to skim his lips the length of her neck, smiling when he felt her shiver at his gentle touch, "- with nobody else around -" another pause to nip at her ear, "- I may not be able to keep my hands to myself."

"Is that a promise, cowboy?" Lindsay whispered in response.

"That's a guarantee," he affirmed.

Lindsay sighed and tilted her head as Danny continued to lavish soft kisses to her neck and her bare shoulder exposed by the thin straps of her tank top. "I could put her back to bed…"

Danny paused in the midst of his loving ministrations to take a quick look at Lucy who was peeking out from her hiding place underneath the blanket.

"Where go Yoo-see?" she giggled, pulling the cover down over her head.

Danny turned back to his wife. "You don't really mean that. I know I'm irresistible, but seriously babe…" He sat up and untangled himself from their embrace, taking hold of one side of Lucy's blanket. "… I think we've just lost our daughter. Where could she be, Mommy?" he asked, his tone serious although there was a wide smile on his face. "Lucy? Lucy, where are you?"

His question was met with elated laughter and the blanket began to quiver with excitement. Unable to resist taking part in the game, Lindsay grabbed hold of the other side of the blanket and grinned at Danny.

"Oh no, Daddy. I think she's gone!" she cried in mock-horror.

"On three?" Danny whispered to her and she nodded her agreement. They silently counted down together before lifting the blanket from the bed and exposing Lucy who erupted in squeals and giggles of delight.

* * *

The rest of the morning had been spent leisurely, none of the Messer family in any hurry to go anywhere or do anything in particular. After a light lunch at the hotel's restaurant, they decided they needed to do something active to compensate for their lazy morning. Danny and Lindsay strolled hand in hand through the sand while Lucy ran on a few steps ahead of them, eagerly exploring the beach and adding to her ever-growing collection of sea shells.

"Mama, yook!" she exclaimed, running back to them and holding out a small fragment of shell. "Pwetty!"

"Very pretty, Lucy," Lindsay praised, accepting the offered shell and dutifully tucking it into her pocket. Lucy flashed her a delighted grin and then took off again in search of more treasure. Lindsay turned to Danny, smiling and leaning against him while they walked. "You're going to have to remind me to empty out my pockets before I do laundry. I don't want to accidentally clog the washer with all these shells."

Danny nodded his head. "Hey, babe?"

"Yeah?"

"Don't forget to empty out your pockets before you do laundry," Danny teased, laughing and ducking out of the way when Lindsay tried to smack him. "What? You just said to remind you!"

"That's not what I meant and you know it," Lindsay giggled as Danny slid his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into his side, pressing a kiss to the crown of her head.

"Sorry. Couldn't resist," he said. "But I promise to remind you, okay? Or even better, let me take care of the laundry for you."

Lindsay raised her eyebrows at his offer, remembering the disastrous results of his previous attempts to do the laundry. "That's okay, Dan," she said. "I can take care of it. I kind of like my clothes all in one piece and I prefer it when they come out of the wash the same colour and size as when they went in."

Danny scoffed and shook his head. "Never gonna let me live it down, are you?" he asked. "One time I do it wrong and all the other times I did it just fine are suddenly forgotten. How's that fair?"

Lindsay smiled and patted his cheek affectionately. "Sorry babe. We all have our strengths and laundry just isn't one of yours. I guess you're stuck on cooking duty," she said as she wound her arms around his waist and pressed a kiss to his whiskered chin. "That's how I like you best anyway; barefoot in my kitchen, pandering to all of my weird pregnancy cravings wearing nothing but an apron and a smile."

"Do you have any idea how unsanitary that is? And dangerous? I could burn myself in ways that would render me useless to you in the bedroom," Danny deadpanned with a shake of his head.

"That's what the apron is for," Lindsay teased.

"Ugh. That is just so sexist. I'm just a hunk of meat to you, huh?"

Lindsay giggled and nuzzled her face into his shoulder. "You are so much more than that, baby. You know that," she said, placing delicate kisses to his neck.

Danny tilted his head to expose more of his neck for her lips to explore. "Yeah, yeah. You're just using me for my body. And you know what? I am totally okay with that."

"Mmm… glad to hear it," Lindsay murmured, nipping at his earlobe.

"Shit, Linds… knock it off," Danny protested feebly as Lindsay's hands began to sneak down his back, slipping into the back pockets of his shorts. "I know you love making me suffer but it's no fair teasing me like this when you know I can't do a damn thing about it until Lucy goes to bed tonight… and that's hours away."

"All good things to those who wait, cowboy," Lindsay said, tapping his nose gently with the tip of her finger as she unwound herself from around him, offering him a flirtatious smile before retaking his hand in hers and leading him on down the beach to catch up with Lucy. The little girl was standing at the edge of the water, playing a game of keep-away with the incoming tide, shrieking merrily as the waves chased her back onto dry land before she bravely ventured back down to the mucky sand to dip her toes into the gently lapping water. Lindsay bent and scooped Lucy up in her arms and kissed her cheek, carrying her out a little further until the water was up to her knees, Danny following close behind. He came up behind both his girls and rested his chin on Lindsay's shoulder while Lucy squealed and wriggled in delight as he tickled her toes. Lindsay turned her head and smiled at him. "So… what time does the cavalry arrive? They are coming today, right?"

"Yeah," Danny said, glancing at his watch and frowning. "Actually, we should probably think about heading back soon. They won't be here for a few hours yet, but we gotta put Lucy down for her nap and then I'm definitely gonna need to take a cold shower..." He grinned at Lindsay and slid his hand down to give her backside a playful squeeze. "Maybe I can even convince you to join me?"

"Or I could just take care of your little problem right here," Lindsay said. She turned to face him, walking her fingers enticingly up his chest and toying with his dog tags. She couldn't help the little flutter of excitement that was building up inside of her at the prospect of what she was about to do. She smiled as Danny's eyes went wide and his mouth gaped open.

"Uh... w-what?" he stammered, glancing uncertainly around them. "B-but, um, Linds... we're... Lucy's right here and there's other people..."

"Oh I don't think anyone's going to mind," Lindsay purred, advancing on Danny who, in turn, began to back away from her. She glanced over his shoulder and smiled disarmingly at him before she lunged forward and gave him a hearty shove. He flailed his arms helplessly as the wave that she had seen coming in to the shore took his legs out from under him, causing him to lose his balance and land on his backside with a satisfying splash.

Lindsay doubled over with laughter as Danny sputtered and coughed, spewing a mouthful of salty water from between his lips and glaring up at her. "Oh, I am so gonna get you for that, Montana," he avowed, struggling to get to his feet as another wave engulfed him and he disappeared momentarily beneath the water before emerging once more with a dangerous gleam in his eyes.

"Uh oh!" Lindsay said to Lucy who was giggling at her father's antics. As Danny finally managed to find his footing, Lindsay took off, trudging as fast as she could through the water away from him with Lucy laughing maniacally as she jiggled and jostled in her mother's arms. "Daddy's gonna get us!"

Danny ran his hand over his face, getting the water from his eyes and quickly began to follow after his wife and daughter. Lindsay glanced over her shoulder and saw him rapidly closing the distance between them. She turned and began backing away from him, back toward the safety of the beach, Lucy clutched protectively in one arm while she extended the other toward him in a gesture of supplication. "I was trying to help, Dan. Honestly!" she laughed as Danny prowled closer, his wet t-shirt clinging to his upper body and his hair sticking up in an array of spikes all over his head.

"Oh, yeah?" he asked, arching an eyebrow at her. "You'll have to enlighten me, because I can't for the life of me understand how dumping me in the ocean - fully clothed, I might add - was helping me."

"Well, this way you won't need that shower," Lindsay explained feebly. "I was trying to save you some time..."

"Uh huh. Sure you were," Danny growled as he closed in on her. Lindsay squealed as Danny reached out and wrapped his arms around her, soaking both herself and Lucy through to the skin.

"Gah, Danny!" she screamed as he began to blow loud, wet raspberries all over her neck and Lucy's cheek. "You're getting me all wet!"

Danny let out a low, dirty chuckle in her ear. "And I'm not even trying," he whispered huskily, causing her legs to momentarily wobble beneath her. She smacked his chest and he rewarded her with a wolfish grin before he took Lucy from her arms. "What do you think, Luce?" he asked his daughter. "Mommy was a bad girl, tricking Daddy like that. Should Mommy have to go for a swim too?"

Lucy gazed back and forth between her parents before clapping her hands together. "Yah!" she exclaimed with glee. "Mama 'wim too!"

"Alright, Linds," Danny said, once again advancing on his wife. "You heard the kid... time for you to take a swim."

"No! Danny, no!" Lindsay gasped as he grabbed her with his free arm and flung her over his shoulder. With Lindsay bellowing for her freedom in one arm, Danny hitched Lucy tightly to him with his other arm and began to wade out until he was waist deep in the waves before carefully lowering Lindsay into the water, ensuring that she landed on her feet before he let go. She stood beside him and stared at him confusedly. "I thought you were just going to drop me in," she said.

Danny chuckled. "I'm not that much of a jackass, Linds," he said. "I know you're not super comfortable in the ocean yet. I watched you the other day... you barely went any deeper than your knees."

Lindsay blushed. The lakes and rivers back home in Montana she could handle; they were familiar to her and she knew just how far out she could go before she was too deep. But the ocean? That was something altogether different. There were riptides and heavy currents to think about, not to mention an array of wildly weird and potentially dangerous sea creatures lurking just below the surface. She thought she'd hidden her aversion from Danny the other day when she'd kept close to the beach while he and Lucy frolicked and splashed in slightly deeper waters. Apparently she'd been mistaken.

"Hey, it's okay, Linds," Danny assured her. "It's nothing to be ashamed of if the ocean freaks you out a little bit. I grew up going fishing with my brother out in the harbour, but it was a long time before I was comfortable enough to go under the water. You should have seen me on my first dive... I was so terrified I almost hyperventilated and they had to send an emergency diver out to bring me back in."

Lindsay stared at her husband in shock. She hadn't known that. But then again, by the time she'd arrived in New York he was an experienced diver with an impressive number of dives under his belt. She'd just never assumed...

"But you... you and Hawkes... I mean, you..."

"Just ask Hawkes," Danny said. "He'll tell you that I still get nervous going under way out there." He nodded his head in the direction of the horizon. "But here we're pretty safe. The current's not too bad and as long as you can still touch the bottom you should be fine. Plus, I know CPR and I'd be more than happy to give you mouth to mouth if you needed it."

"Shut up," Lindsay chuckled, her nervousness lessening somewhat. She glanced up at her husband and saw that Lucy was squirming in his arms, anxious to have her turn in the waves.

"An' now Yoo-see oh-shun!" she pleaded, bending sideways and trying to dip her fingers in the water. "Dada!"

"Alright, squirt. It's your turn," Danny said. He reaffirmed his grip on Lucy and began a slow count down from three. "Three... two... one!" With that, he blew a puff of air in Lucy's face, causing her to scrunch up her features and hold her breath just before he popped below the surface of the water. Mere seconds later the pair of them reappeared and Lucy sputtered for a moment before she giggled with delight. "Again!" she crowed. "An' Mama too!"

"Ah, Luce... I don't think that Mommy..." Danny began, but Lindsay cut him off.

"It's alright, Dan," she said. "Just don't let go of me, okay?"

"Not a chance, babe," Danny assured her as he took her hand in his, pressing a tender kiss to the backs of her fingers. "Alright, everybody ready? Three... two... one!"

* * *

"What time is it?" Lindsay asked as they squelched soggily up the beach back to their hotel.

Danny glanced at his watch and muttered a curse beneath his breath. "Shit. My watch stopped," he said, giving his wrist a shake as if that would solve the problem.

"What? But I thought it was waterproof," Lindsay said.

Danny shrugged his shoulders irritably. "Water resistant," he grumbled. "I've never worn it in the water before though. I always took it off just in case. Piece of crap."

"I'm sorry, Danny," Lindsay said. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have..."

"Forget about it, Linds," Danny said. "It's just a watch. No big deal."

Lindsay shifted a very sleepy Lucy in her arms and the little girl let out a huge yawn and rested her head on her mother's shoulder before wedging her thumb into her mouth and closing her eyes. Danny smiled and gently adjusted Lucy's sun hat to ensure it was covering her mop of damp curls.

"See, we don't need a watch when we got Luce," he said, trying to make light of the situation. "It's nap time."

Lindsay returned his smile and they continued on their way along the beach. She watched Danny out of the corner of her eye, feeling terrible about his ruined watch. It had been a gift from his grandmother on his 30th birthday and although they both knew it held little monetary value, to Danny it's sentimental value was immeasurable.

When they reached the hotel, Danny opened the door, holding it open for Lindsay and Lucy to go through before following them inside. Once he'd stepped into the lobby he froze at the commotion going on at the front desk. The room was packed from wall to wall with a swarm of noisy people who were all milling around, shouting out greetings to one another and exchanging hugs and handshakes. Several people turned to look at the new arrivals and Danny heard his name called out. He turned to see a tall, dark-haired man about his age smiling broadly and sauntering toward him.

"Danny!"

"Hey, Dario," Danny said, extending his hand to his cousin. Dario took his hand and shook it warmly, the smile on his face nearly stretching from ear to ear. "How you doin', buddy?"

"I'm awesome, Dan," Dario said, clapping Danny on the back. His hand connected with Danny's soaking t-shirt, spraying a nearby group of older ladies with little droplets of water. The ladies frowned disapprovingly at the two men. Dario grinned and wiped his hand on his jeans. "It's so good to see you. How are you? What you been up to?"

"Um, we just kind of went for a spur-of-the-moment swim," Danny said, causing Dario to laugh.

"Only you, Danno," he chuckled. "You always were a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants kinda guy."

"Yeah, well," Danny mumbled, shooting Lindsay a little grin before he turned back to his cousin. "Dario, you remember Lindsay, right? And Lucy."

Dario turned and smiled a greeting at Lindsay. She was suddenly very conscious of the fact that she was standing in the lobby of a very classy hotel looking like a drowned rat while nearly one hundred members of her husband's extended family - many of whom she had yet to meet - looked on. She had wanted to make a good first impression with Danny's family, but judging by some of the disapproving glances cast in her direction, she was failing miserably. She was sure her makeup was running down her cheeks and her hair probably looked like birds had begun to nest in it. And to make matters worse, her wet shirt - which she was fairly certain was probably completely see-through by now - was clinging uncomfortably to her skin. The air conditioning wasn't helping matters, causing her to break out in goose bumps and her nipples to stand out prominently under the second-skin of her thin top. She rearranged a now slumbering Lucy in her arms in an attempt to cover herself up and preserve her modesty.

"Hey, Lindsay," Dario said. He seemed to consider shaking her hand, but changed his mind when he realized she already had her hands full with the dozing toddler. "Aw, and look at this little cutie," he said quietly, glancing at Lucy's face as she slept. "She looks just like you, Dan. I hope the resemblance stops at her looks though, for your sake, Lindsay. 'Cause if she's anything like Danny was as a kid..."

Danny narrowed his eyes and gave his cousin a playful shove while Lindsay smiled back at him. "It's nice to see you again, Dario," she said. "Congratulations, by the way. You must be getting pretty excited for the big day."

Dario chuckled nervously and bounced on the balls of the balls of his feet, much the same way that Danny did when he was uneasy or excited. She hoped for his bride's sake that it was excitement.

"Yeah. Yeah. Can't wait," he said. "Julie's pretty much beside herself. She's kind of stressing about the details. We're having a bit of a problem with a couple members of the wedding party; Dan, I'm gonna need to talk to you about that a little later, okay? Maybe after dinner? Anyway, I gotta go finish getting checked in. I'll catch you guys later, okay?"

Without waiting for a response from either of them, Dario disappeared into the crowd, heading back toward the front desk. Lindsay hazarded a glance in Danny's direction. "Babe, maybe we should go get changed," she suggested. "I'm feeling a little, um, exposed right now."

"Yeah. Sounds good," Danny agreed. "You want me to take Lucy for you?"

"No!" Lindsay said sharply. Danny's eyed widened at her tone and she gave him a soft smile. "Sorry. It's just... she's all that's keeping me from giving your entire family a free peep show, if you know what I mean."

A devilish smile spread across Danny's face. "Hmm... I'm not quite sure I understand. You might have to show me when we get upstairs."

With a roll of her eyes, Lindsay began to head to the elevator. It was slow going though, as people kept recognizing Danny, stopping him to say hello and exchange pleasantries. Eventually, he gave Lindsay a helpless shrug of his shoulders. "Go on without me," he mouthed to her when he was cornered by an elderly aunt who was intent on telling him all about her laborious journey all the way from New Jersey. "I'll be up in a few minutes."

Lindsay nodded her head and shifted Lucy so that she could awkwardly punch the button to call the elevator with her elbow. While she waited, she scanned the noisy and boisterous crowd and let out a soft sigh. It seemed that their quiet vacation was over.

* * *

**I think the big problem I had with this chapter is that I wanted them to do so much more with just the three of them before I brought in the rest of Danny's family... but I wanted to keep the story going, so I didn't want to put off bringing the family in for too long. I find myself having far too many ideas for this story and I always have a hard time editing out all the things I want to put in each chapter. **

**Anyways, we had one last hurrah with the three of them and now the family is here so we can get on with the show! I hope you had fun and enjoyed the chapter and are still looking forward to more! As always, reviews are most welcome and very much appreciated, so please leave a few words for me if you liked what you've read.**

**rhymes**


	49. Get Ready

**A/N: Tada! Back again, and I didn't even keep you all waiting for a month for another update!**

**Thank you to those lovely folks who reviewed the last chapter. It was really nice to hear from you again and I'm glad that you enjoyed the DLL fluff-fest. There's more to come but first, we have some other business to attend to.**

**This one picks up right where we left off at the end of the last chapter, so please sit back and enjoy!**

* * *

"Daniel Messer!"

Danny grimaced at the voice bellowing his name across the crowded lobby. He'd finally managed to escape from his Aunt Freda and was hoping to make a quick getaway back to his hotel room before anyone else saw him. Lucy was asleep and Lindsay was bound to be getting ready for a shower before she got dressed for dinner, and he very much wanted to be a part of that shower. _No such luck_, he thought miserably. He sighed and plastered a smile on his face before he turned to face the source of the voice.

"Hey, Ma," he said, leaning down and pecking his mother on the cheek. "Hi, Dad. How was your trip?"

Maria Messer regarded her son warily. "Why are you all wet?" she asked, reaching out to run her fingers through his damp, spiky hair.

"Uh... well, um... me and Lindsay took Lucy down to the beach and I kind of ...fell in."

Maria raised her eyebrows. "You fell in?" she asked. "How?" As Danny opened his mouth to try to explain, she raised an imperious finger to silence him. "Never mind," she said. "I don't want to know." She eagerly peered around Danny, seemingly disappointed when she didn't find what she was looking for. "Where's Lindsay? And my grandbaby?" she asked. "I can't wait to show Lucy off to all the old girls who said you'd never settle down and give me a grandchild."

"They're upstairs," Danny said, choosing to ignore his mother's thinly veiled barb. "Lucy hasn't had her nap yet and she was pretty tired from playing outside all afternoon. And Lindsay's getting changed." It took all the willpower he could muster not to let his mind linger on the mental image of Lindsay peeling off her wet t-shirt...

"How's she feeling?" Joseph Messer asked, his concern for his daughter-in-law evident on his face. "Your mother said she wasn't feeling great last night. Did you find out what was wrong with her?"

"Uh... yeah," Danny said, glancing warily at his mother. "Yeah, she's better. Thanks for asking. We think it was maybe something she ate."

Maria narrowed her eyes at him but said nothing. Instead she grabbed the handle of her rolling suitcase and shoved it in Danny's direction. "Well, there's no point in the three of us standing around here. We're in everyone's way. Make yourself useful, Daniel, and help your father bring our bags up to our room."

Joe clapped his son on the shoulder and gave him a wink. "I got it, son. You go get yourself cleaned up for dinner."

"It's okay, Dad," Danny said, grabbing the suitcase with one hand and heaving his mother's garment bag over his other arm. "I'm going up anyway." Joe smiled and picked up the small suitcase that remained, following Danny and Maria into the elevator.

* * *

Danny's mother tutted at him as he heaved her suitcase onto her bed and threw a towel at him, insisting that he was going to catch pneumonia if he didn't get himself dried off.

"That's what I was trying to do when you dragged me up here," Danny grumbled as he towelled off his hair. "Besides, it's hot out. I'm pretty sure pneumonia isn't exactly an imminent threat."

"I don't need any of your attitude, Daniel," Maria scolded as she began to unpack her things, neatly putting her and Joe's clothes into the drawers of the dresser. Danny thought guiltily of his small family's clothes which - with the exception of their garments for the wedding itself - were still stuffed haphazardly in their suitcases. He made a mental note to himself to make sure he sorted them out before he let his mother see the state of their things. "I'm just looking out for my boy. There's nothing wrong with that."

"I know, Ma," Danny said, hanging his towel on the rack in the bathroom to dry. "I appreciate that. I just... I can take care of myself."

Maria smiled and patted his cheek affectionately. "I know you can _caro mio_," she said. "I just can't have you getting sick when you've got your wife and daughter to look after too, can I?" she asked. "I mean, what's Lindsay going to do if you come down with a terrible cold when she's not feeling well herself?"

That had led to more questions about what exactly was wrong with Lindsay and Danny finally had to put his foot down and excuse himself before he tripped up and let the cat out of the bag.

"Ma! Seriously, nothing's wrong with her! Will you just let it go?" he snapped.

"Don't raise your voice to your mother, son," Joe said from his place on the couch where he was flicking through the channels on the television looking for the score of the afternoon's game.

"I'm not! I'm just..." Danny sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm sorry, Ma. Just trust me, okay? Lindsay's fine. Lucy's fine. I'm not dying of pneumonia. We're all good. I'll see you at dinner, alright?"

* * *

Danny slid his keycard in the electronic lock and pushed open the hotel room door. The sounds of water running from in the bathroom told him that Lindsay had given up waiting for him and decided to shower on her own. He briefly contemplated joining her, but quickly thought the better of it. If he did that, they might never make it downstairs for dinner. The next time he got his wife alone and naked he wanted to take his time with her, lovingly exploring her body. Not that a good hard romp in the shower wouldn't be fun, but... Danny let out a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair which felt grainy from the dried saltwater. Sometimes it really sucked being a grown up.

He kicked off his sandals, wiping his sandy feet on the carpet beside the door before he moved deeper into the suite. He peered over the edge of Lucy's crib and smiled. Lindsay had already gotten her changed into clean, dry clothes and run a brush through her wild mess of blonde curls. She lay on her back with one chubby little arm flung up over her head while the other clutched tightly to the teddy at her side. She was wearing the little pink t-shirt Adam had gotten for her as a gag gift; on the front was a diagram of an atom with the words '_Science Girlz Rule_' emblazoned underneath.

Reaching into the crib, Danny stroked her rosy cheek with his finger before adjusting her shirt down over her belly. Then he padded into the bedroom and grabbed his suitcase, flinging it onto the bed and unzipping it. He gazed down at the rumpled contents, trying to decide on what to wear for the evening. It wasn't going to be a formal dinner by any stretch of the imagination, just a casual family gathering. But there were members of his extended family he hadn't seen for a long time, not since he'd cleaned up his act and settled down to become a dependable family man. He pawed through his clothes trying to find something that said '_I'm still Danny Messer... I'm just the new and improved version_'.

He had just settled on a pair of jeans, his ubiquitous wifebeater and a white button down shirt when he realized that he no longer heard the water running. Instead the distinct whir of the hair dryer carried through the closed door of the bathroom. Grabbing his change of clothes, he knocked on the bathroom door before turning the handle.

"Babe? You decent?" he asked, peering around the edge of the door.

Lindsay smiled at him in her reflection in the mirror. "Since when are you concerned with me being decent?" she asked, turning and shooting him in the face with a blast of hot air from the dryer before turning the nozzle back on her hair. "You always seem perfectly happy to catch me at my most _in_decent."

"Guilty as charged," Danny grinned, joining her in the bathroom. "But if you don't want me to admire you in all your naked glory, you shouldn't be so damn gorgeous." Lindsay blushed, turning her attention back to her task. Danny leaned against the door frame, taking a few moments to gaze at his wife in admiration. She had on a yellow and white cotton sundress with a halter neckline that beautifully accentuated her bust, and a wide sash that cinched around her middle showing off her narrow waist. Her makeup was soft and light and the tan she had acquired during their past few sun-soaked days gave her a golden, shimmering glow. She flicked her gaze to him in the mirror.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Danny shrugged his shoulders. "You just… you look really pretty," he said simply.

The blush on her cheeks intensified and she cast her gaze downward demurely. "Thank you."

"Anytime, beautiful," Danny said.

"What took you so long?" Lindsay asked over the roar of the dryer. "I was about to send out a search party to look for you."

Danny sighed and pressed a kiss to her shoulder before he began to get undressed, in dire need of his own shower before dinner. "God, my aunt just wouldn't stop talking," he moaned, turning on the tap and testing the temperature of the water. He started the shower nozzle and got in, snapping the shower curtain into place behind him. "She had to tell me about every stop the train made on the way here, and every person she talked to... And then when I finally got away from her I ran into my folks," he explained. "My mom's convinced you're dying of some rare stomach disease and I'm about to keel over with pneumonia. I had to convince her that we're not all at death's door."

The hair dryer shut off and Lindsay poked her head around the edge of the shower curtain.

"Pneumonia?"

"Don't ask," Danny chuckled. "You know how she is." He squirted a generous amount of shampoo into his hand and began to lather up his hair, stepping back under the rush of water to rinse away the suds. "Lucy go down okay?" he asked.

"She sure did," Lindsay replied from the other side of the curtain. "She didn't even wake up when I dried her off and got her changed. We shouldn't let her sleep too long though, or she'll be up all night."

Danny chuckled knowingly. They'd made that mistake a handful of times in the past and vowed never to do it again. It was easier to deal with a cranky Lucy for a few hours in the evening than a wound-up Lucy with oodles of pent-up energy. She'd practically bounced off the walls until the wee hours of the morning before she finally hit the proverbial wall and passed out, much to her exhausted parents' relief.

"Yeah. Good idea," Danny concurred. He quickly finished washing himself off, then shut off the shower. Wrapping a towel around his hips, he stepped out of the tub, grabbing another smaller towel from the shelf and running it over his hair. While he did so he noticed that Lindsay had finished with the hair dryer, having exchanged it for her curling iron.

His heart fluttered in his chest as he watched her carefully style her hair into loose, face-framing curls. She didn't wear her hair like that very often any more, preferring a more sleek, sophisticated look that made her look every inch the city-girl she'd become. But every time he saw her with her hair in gentle waves it made him think back to when she'd first come to New York. She'd looked so sweet and innocent back then, not like any girl he'd ever known and certainly not like any of the girls he'd ever dated. He'd quickly discovered that her soft and innocent exterior belied a tough inner strength and a personality far more complex and interesting than he'd been willing to give her credit for at the time.

"Danny?"

"Huh?" he asked, started from his thoughts.

"You're staring," Lindsay said, a hint of a smile curling on her lips. "Aren't you going to get ready?"

"Oh. Yeah... right," he said, giving his hair a final run through with the towel. He grabbed his bag of toiletries and got out his razor and shaving cream, setting them on the counter beside the sink before he moved to fold his arms around his wife's waist, pressing a loving kiss to her neck. "I really like it when you do your hair like this," he said, gently nuzzling his face into her soft waves.

"Really?" Lindsay asked.

"Really," he assured her. "You look like the girl I fell in love with."

"As opposed to the woman you're stuck being married to?" Lindsay teased.

"You say stuck like it's a bad thing," Danny murmured in her ear. He held her for a moment longer before releasing her and turning his attention to the scruffy beard he'd been working on for the past few days. He ran his hand over his jawline, wondering if he could get away without shaving for another day. He knew he'd have to shave for the wedding or his mother would probably skin him alive, but...

"Whadya think, Linds?" he asked. "Time to lose the shag?"

She cast an appraising eye in his direction. "Hmm... I dunno. I kinda like it."

"Yeah? You don't think I look like a hairy beast?"

"Maybe that's what I like about it," Lindsay said, giving him a flirtatious wink.

Danny arched his eyebrow at her. "Oh yeah?"

"Mmm," Lindsay murmured, setting down her curling iron and raising her hands to his face. "It's kind of primitive. A little dirty... very sexy."

"Oh I'm primitive, am I?" Danny growled, lowering his head to nip at her lower lip while his arms slid around her body, holding her fast. "If we had more time I'd take you into the bedroom and show you just how primitive I can be."

"Danny stop!" Lindsay giggled, trying to twist out of his grasp as he kissed his way down the column of her throat. "Babe, you're gonna give me beard burn on my neck!"

"How about a hickey instead?" Danny suggested helpfully before closing his lips over her collar bone and sucking lightly.

"Daniel James Messer, don't you dare! You're going to make me look cheap," Lindsay moaned and Danny couldn't help but smile at the fact that although her words were protesting, her tone was anything but; breathy and full of longing. Grudgingly he pulled his lips from her skin, satisfying himself with simply breathing in the floral scent of her perfume as he buried his nose in the crook of her neck.

"Why is it that you always smell so fucking good?" he murmured. "You trying to torture me?"

Lindsay ran her fingers through his hair, gently massaging his scalp and pressing gentle kisses to his shoulder. "That was my plan."

"Well it's working," he muttered. He raised his head and kissed her, taking the time to thoroughly explore her mouth with his tongue and causing Lindsay to whimper and clutch desperately at the hairs on the nape of his neck. Breathless they broke apart and Danny leaned in and rested his forehead against hers, staring into her wide brown eyes. "I gotta go get changed now, or I'm not gonna be able to stop myself from taking you right here on the bathroom counter."

"Okay," Lindsay replied, bringing her mouth to his again and drawing him in for another languid kiss.

"Mmm... here I go," he mumbled against her lips, neither of them making any move to separate from their embrace. "I'm going."

"Bye," Lindsay managed to say between increasingly urgent kisses, during which her hands had somehow wound their way down his back. Her fingers toyed briefly with the fabric of the towel slung loosely around his hips until, with a light whoosh, the fabric fell away from his body and pooled at his feet leaving him stark naked. Not one to pass up on such a golden opportunity, Lindsay slid her hands down over the swell of his backside, eliciting a low groan of desire from deep in Danny's throat as she kneaded and massaged his ass.

Lindsay moaned at the loss of his mouth against hers when he eventually broke their kiss. She gazed up at him, more than a little satisfied by his slightly ruffled appearance. His hair was a mess of crazy tufts sticking out at all angles and his lips were swollen and glistening from her kisses. His blue eyes blazed with unconcealed lust and he was panting heavily.

"Why'd you stop?" she asked breathlessly.

"Shh," he said, pressing a finger to her lips to silence her. "I thought I heard someone at the door." They stood and listened intently for a moment and sure enough Lindsay heard it too; a soft rap on the door to their suite followed by a voice.

"Hello? Danny? Are you in there?"

Lindsay furrowed her brow. It was a woman's voice. A woman's voice that she didn't recognize. But judging from the look on Danny's face, he certainly did.

"Fuck!" he cursed under his breath. "Shit. What the hell is she doing here?"

"What the hell is _who_doing here?" Lindsay asked as Danny gathered his towel from the floor and wrapped it tightly around his hips. "Danny? Who is that?"

The voice came again, louder this time along with another more resonant knock. "Daannneeee!" the voice singsonged. "Come on and open the door for me! I know you're in there!"

Lindsay narrowed her eyes at her husband who merely gaped helplessly back at her, his voice having apparently disappeared somewhere in the past few seconds. "Danny? Who is that?"

He grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "It's... well, it sounds like..."

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

"Come on, Danny! I wanna see you!"

"Jesus Christ," Lindsay muttered, hurrying from the bathroom. "She's going to wake Lucy."

"Linds, no. Wait," Danny said, stumbling after her. "Let me get the door. I'll handle this."

"No," Lindsay snapped, placing her hand on his chest and giving him a firm shove in the direction of the bedroom. "You're not answering the door in nothing but a towel, especially not for... whoever that is. You go put some clothes on. I'll let _Little Miss Friendly_out there know that you're busy."

Danny sighed, his eyes going back and forth between the door and his wife - his obviously angry wife - before he palmed his hand over his face. "Linds, please. It's not... I didn't..."

"We'll talk about this later," Lindsay said with a note of finality in her voice. "Now go."

She watched Danny slink away into the bedroom, waiting until he'd disappeared behind the closed door. Then she took a deep breath and peered through the peephole, her heart sinking as her eyes fixed on a tall, voluptuous woman with a head of luxurious bleach-blonde hair. Her makeup was impeccably applied and her slinky black outfit left little to the imagination. She was, in a word, gorgeous. And she obviously knew Danny - a little too well for Lindsay's liking.

Seeing that the woman was about to raise her hand to knock again, Lindsay quickly flipped the locks and turned the knob, poking her head around the edge of the door.

"Can I help you?"

* * *

**Dun, dun, dun!**

**Ooh! Who's the girl? And what does she want with Danny? (Actually, scratch that. Stupid question!) A bag of virtual M&Ms to anyone that guesses who she is!**

**Until next time… Mwa ha ha!**


	50. A Little Clarification Goes A Long Way

**A/N: Hey all! Another update ready for you! My apologies for the long delay between chapters. I had the chapter about half way finished when my computer crashed and deleted it. Tried everything to get it back but nothing worked. I tried rewriting it a couple of times but I was actually really happy with the original version and the rewrites just weren't doing it for me, so I decided to focus on other stories for a while and come back to this one later.**

**Well, after wallowing around in self-pity for my lost chapter, I'm finally happy with what I've come up with and I hope you are too. Muchos gracias to _SunnyCitrus10, mckenzie, Brinchen86, thefishbelly, lauralynn87, brendanakai, afrozenheart412, RebelYell205, dannylindsayfan, liverpoolss, Alex Joleta, laurzz, nciscsinylover, MarkandLexiefan_, and _alexindigo_ for the reviews! Despite the long wait, I hope you know how much I love hearing from you!**

**As for the identity of the mystery woman at the door? Well read on, my friends and enjoy (holy cow) Chapter 50!**

* * *

"Can I help you?"

The woman on the other side of the door blinked at Lindsay. She was clearly not who the woman had been expecting.

"Oh. Um..." the blonde stuttered, stepping back and taking a look at the room number on the wall beside the door.

"Hello?" Lindsay prompted again. "Did you want something? Or…"

"Um… God. I'm so sorry," the blond replied, obviously somewhat flustered. "I… I must have the wrong room. I thought…" Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment and she smiled shyly at Lindsay. "Sorry. I'll just… I'd better go. I'm sorry for bothering you."

She was about to turn and go when Lindsay narrowed her eyes. "Who are you looking for?" she asked, her tone wary.

"I… I was looking for an old friend of mine. But obviously I got the rooms mixed up."

Lindsay pursed her lips together in a thin line. "You said you were looking for Danny," she said flatly. "When you were banging on the door. You said his name."

"Um… yeah. I did," the blonde said, taking a step back toward the door. "Why? Do you know him?"

Lindsay gave a small snort of laughter and crossed her arms over her chest, her brown eyes twinkling with amusement. "You could say that," she said. "I'm his wife."

The blonde looked perplexed for a moment, then her face broke out in a wide, friendly smile. "Oh my God," she exclaimed with delight, taking Lindsay completely off guard. "You're Lindsay!"

Now it was Lindsay's turn to be confused. How the hell did this woman know her name? "Yes… I am," she said cautiously.

The blonde let out an elated squeal. "Oooh! I've heard so much about you!" she gushed excitedly. "Danny talks about you all the time! God, I'm so happy to finally meet you!"

She reached out and pulled Lindsay into a tight hug. Not quite sure how to react, Lindsay awkwardly patted the woman on the back before trying to peel herself from her vice-like grip. "I'm sorry," she said, running her hands over her dress to smooth out the crinkles the woman had inflicted with her unexpected embrace. "But… who are you?"

The blonde let out a hoot of laughter and shook her head, obviously nonplussed by Lindsay's question. In fact, she seemed to find it quite amusing.

"Jesus. Where are my manners?" she twittered. "I'm Jamie."

Lindsay stared blankly back at her while her mind went into overdrive. _Jamie? Was she supposed to know who that was?_ Then it hit her. She remembered back to a night just a few months ago when she and Danny had been out for dinner with Dario and his fiancée Julie and the two men had started telling stories on one another about their childhood. They reminisced about all the scrapes they'd gotten into and Lindsay recalled that the majority of their exploits also involved someone named Jamie. Thinking nothing of it at the time, Lindsay suddenly realized that she'd made the automatic assumption that Jamie was a guy.

"_You're_ Jamie?" Lindsay blurted out rudely before she could stop herself. She cast her eyes down Jamie's curvaceous figure – her very womanly figure – clad in her alluring designer dress and she felt her blood begin to boil. How could Danny have forgotten to mention that his old pal Jamie was probably the most gorgeous woman on the face of the earth? He and Dario talked about her enough; it was clear that they had all been very close at one point in their lives and it wasn't like it was some tiny detail that could have slipped his mind. Actually, there were two very large details that Danny definitely should have mentioned, Lindsay thought acerbically as she let her eyes dart to Jamie's barely contained cleavage.

Either Jamie hadn't noticed Lindsay's verbal faux-pas or she was choosing to overlook it. Instead, she smiled brightly at Lindsay and shook her head. "I can't believe I finally get to meet you," she said. "I've heard so much about you and every time I hear from Danny it's always _Lindsay-this_ and _Lindsay-that_… Guy's got it bad for you, you lucky girl! I've never seen him so head-over-heels!"

Lindsay blushed, her anger diminished somewhat by the fact that while Danny may not have mentioned Jamie to her… he'd clearly been more than happy to let this woman know he was absolutely and completely off the market.

"Well, he's not the only lucky one," Lindsay demurred with a small smile. Suddenly aware of the fact that she was talking to someone that was little more than a stranger to her, she decided to turn the conversation around. "So… um, I don't mean to be rude," she began, "But how come I haven't met you before?"

Jamie shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly. "I haven't really been around. My job keeps me on the go and it's been a few years since my last trip back to New York. But when Dario told me he was getting married, I had to come back and check out the wife-to-be," she said with a wink. "You know… make sure she's good enough for him, and all that. I didn't get that chance with Danny, so I figured one out of two ain't bad."

Not quite sure how to take that comment, Lindsay steered their conversation in a different direction, hoping to get some more information from Jamie about her sudden appearance at their hotel room door. "So… did you want something from Danny? Can I give him a message for you?" she asked, jerking her thumb in the direction of the bedroom. "He's just getting changed, but I'm sure he'd be happy to see an old friend."

"Oh, just tell him that I say hi, and that I'll catch up with him sometime this weekend," Jamie said with a smile. "And, you know… I hope that you and I can have a drink or something together. I'd love to get to know the girl that finally took the untamable Danny Messer off the market."

"Well, where Danny goes, I go," Lindsay said, a hint of possessiveness in her voice. Jamie seemed like a nice enough girl – friendly, warm, welcoming – but having known her for all of five minutes, Lindsay wasn't exactly bursting with excitement at the prospect of letting her husband wander off alone with the buxom blonde.

"Good," Jamie said with a nod of her platinum head. "Well, I'm gonna head downstairs… I guess I'll see you guys at dinner."

"Okay. See you."

With a wave of her hand, Jamie turned and walked away down the hall, leaving Lindsay staring after her with her brow slightly furrowed at the way her shapely figure seemed to defy the laws of physics and actually glide and bounce at the same time. When she was out of site around the corner, Lindsay closed the door, sliding the security chain in place before she took a moment to collect herself.

* * *

Jamie's cell phone let out a shrill whine just as she stepped into the elevator and she pulled it from her purse, letting out an amused chuckle as she saw the name displayed on her Caller ID.

"Well, well, well… Daniel Messer. Were your ears burning? We were just talking about you."

"Jesus Christ, Jamie. What the hell is wrong with you?" Danny hissed. "You couldn't have waited to see me downstairs? Now I gotta come up with some excuse for why you're suddenly showing up at my door… probably dressed in something completely inappropriate, if I know you. You trying to make my life miserable?"

Jamie shook her head and laughed. "I'm so sorry, Danny. I wasn't even thinking," she admitted. "I just got here and I wanted to give it to you right away. You know how I am… If I hang onto it for too long, I'll end up losing it."

"So you got it?" he asked, a note of excitement in his voice. "How's it look? Do you think… do you think she'll like it?"

"Yeah, Danny. I think she's gonna love it," Jamie said. "It's gorgeous."

She heard him release a breath of relief. "I owe you big time, Jamie. Thank you."

"It was no problem, Danny. Really," Jamie said. "I've got it in my purse, so just come find me at dinner and I'll give it to you then, okay?"

"Sounds good," Danny replied. "And thanks again."

"Anytime. And Danny?"

"Yeah?"

"She's lovely," Jamie said. "And I can tell she's got it bad for you… God only knows why when you're the grumpiest son of a bitch I've ever met in my life."

Danny laughed. "Yeah, well… there's no accounting for taste, I guess… shit. I gotta go, Jamie. I'll talk to you later, yeah?"

"Oh, you are so whipped!" Jamie giggled, earning a good-natured grumble from Danny. "Later, Danny."

Just as Danny tucked his phone into his jeans pocket, the bedroom door opened and Lindsay stood in the doorway with her arms crossed over her chest. Trying to play it cool and nonchalant, Danny slid his arms into the sleeves of his white dress shirt.

"Hey, babe," he said as he buttoned his shirt front. "Who was at the door?"

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Don't give me that bullshit, Danny," she snapped, brushing past him as she stalked into the bedroom. "You know very well who that was. I could see it in your eyes when she was knocking on the door. You recognized her voice."

Busying herself with the task of searching through her suitcase for her shoes, she heard Danny sigh.

"Alright, fine," he admitted. "I thought it might be Jamie. But Linds… it's been a long time since I saw her last. I figured there was a chance I was wrong and it might have been someone else."

"That's not what she says," Lindsay shot back. "She makes it sound like she talks to you all the time."

"Linds, it's not… it's not like that. Jamie's just a friend. And I don't think that two or three emails a year can really be classified as _all the time_."

Lindsay glared at him. "Don't play the semantics game with me, Danny," she growled. "It doesn't matter if it's just once or a thousand times… I just don't understand why you didn't tell me about her."

"I'm sorry, baby," Danny lamented, sitting down on the edge of the bed and running his hand through his hair. He really was sorry. He'd intended to introduce the two of them at dinner and Jamie showing up at the door had not been part of his plan. And as he watched his wife paw miserably through her suitcase, he could see the hurt on her face and he felt terrible. "Are you okay?"

"Fine."

"Lindsay…"

"Just leave me alone." She gave her suitcase an angry shove, causing it to topple onto its back so that she could unzip it and tear properly through its contents. "Jesus Christ! Where the hell are they?"

"Can I help?" Danny asked. "What are you looking for?"

"My shoes! I'm looking for my shoes!" Lindsay wailed as she rifled through the piles of clothing. "But I can't… I was so sure I saw them!"

"Um… babe?"

"Danny, I'm busy," she snapped.

"But… sweetheart…"

"What, Danny?" she barked, throwing her arms in the air in a mixture of frustration and anger. "What do you want?"

Danny bent down and picked up a pair of white strappy sandals from the floor beside the bed. "These shoes?" he asked, holding them up for her to see.

Shooting daggers at him with her eyes, Lindsay got to her feet and smoothed down her dress, trying to regain some small measure of her composure. "Yes. Those are the ones," she said, attempting to make her voice come out normally, although her emotions were still swirling inside of her. Danny took a few tentative steps toward her, the shoes dangling from his fingertips. "Thank you," she said meekly, accepting the shoes from him. He smiled back at her, but his expression was wary as if he wasn't sure whether she was going to start shouting at him again.

"I'm sorry, Lindsay," he repeated. "You're right. I should have made sure that you understood who Jamie was. I never meant for you to be blindsided like that. But you've got to know that I don't see her the way other guys might. We've known each other since we were little kids and she's more like a cousin to me than anything else."

"A cousin with a rack like a Playboy Bunny," Lindsay grumbled.

Danny couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, babe. You got nothing to worry about in that department," he assured her, closing the distance between them. Pulling her into his arms he brushed the shell of her ear with his lips. "Have I ever once complained about your rack? Or any other part of your body?"

Lindsay shook her head and slid her hands around his waist. "No."

"That's right," Danny said, kissing her cheek. "Because I love every inch of you and I wouldn't change a thing."

Lindsay pulled back from their embrace and smiled up at him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you," she said.

He returned her smile and shrugged his shoulders. "S'okay. I deserved it."

"You wanna make it up to me?" Lindsay asked, fluttering her lashes coyly. She leaned in and pressed a kiss to Danny's lips. "Tell me again how much you love my body."

"I'd rather show you," Danny replied. "In fact, I was about to show you in the bathroom before we got interrupted."

"Danny," she sighed when he took her earlobe into his mouth and sucked on the tender skin. "Baby... don't. We can't... dinner..."

"Dinner can wait," Danny murmured in her ear as his hands moved to the knot tied at the base of her neck which was all that held up the halter top of her dress. "But I can't." Taking one of the ties in his hand, Danny waited for any sign or word of protest from Lindsay. When none came, he tugged gently and the knot came undone, the fabric of her dress falling from her chest. Danny let out an appreciative sigh at the sight of her breasts and he cupped them in his hands, feeling her nipples harden into tight nubs as he tenderly teased and stroked them with his thumbs. "I love the way you fit in my hands, Lindsay," he whispered. "So what if other girls might be bigger? When you put the whole package together… you're perfect. Don't ever forget that."

As if to solidify the meaning behind his words, Danny captured her lips with his and kissed her hungrily, eliciting a groan of longing from deep within her and causing her insides to turn to jelly. He slowly began to grind against her body and she felt his building erection pressing into her stomach. Lindsay clutched at Danny's hair with one hand while the other made quick work of his fly, and soon her fingers were wrapped around his cock, stroking his length and earning a low rumble of desire from deep in his chest. He broke their kiss and pulled back, his cheeks flushed with colour and his blue eyes flashing with longing. He bent his head and began to trail open-mouthed kisses to her neck, her shoulder, her jaw. When he finally spoke again, his breath was hot and enticing in her ear. "I need you, Lindsay. I know we don't have time for me to love you like I want to right now… but I promise I'll spend all night loving you properly if you want me to. I just need to feel you."

Lindsay bit her lip and tried to sort out her lust-addled thoughts. She wanted him too. She was tired of the teasing and the flirting of the past few days. Danny wasn't the only one who had been suffering from sexual frustration since her plans to seduce him the night before had gone out the window thanks to her morning sickness. His body felt so warm and inviting and the love and desire she could feel emanating from his him was almost overwhelming. She desperately wanted him inside of her. People were probably still checking in downstairs and surely they'd want a few minutes to freshen up before dinner. If they were really quick, maybe...

"What are you waiting for, cowboy? We haven't got all day."

That was all Danny needed to hear. His hands undid the sash around her waist before moving on to the zipper up the back of her dress and soon she stood before him in nothing but her panties. He hooked his fingers in the elastic waist and tugged them impatiently down her legs. When he straightened up, Lindsay wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss, her tongue languidly exploring his mouth while his hands wandered over her naked body, fanning the flames that had already ignited in her belly.

She tilted her head, deepening their kiss while her hands freed him from his jeans and underwear, the garments pooling around his ankles. He quickly kicked his legs free before walking Lindsay backward and she soon found herself with her back pressed against the wall and her legs hitched around Danny's waist with his hardened member seeking the familiar warmth of her opening.

"Yes, Danny. Please," she panted between heated kisses. "Please. I want you. Oh!" She closed her eyes and threw her head back as he entered her in one smooth, slow motion, pausing once he was fully encased within her body. She nipped at his lower lip, taking it into her mouth and sucking hard, rocking her hips against his pelvis in an attempt to get him to start moving.

Soon they'd found a rhythm that was hard and fast, both of them panting and groaning with pleasure as Danny filled her over and over again. This wasn't the gentle lovemaking of the other night, when they'd simply wanted to take their time exploring one another. This was raw and primal; pure lust at its very finest.

"Oh, God... oh shit... Danny... harder, baby. I want it harder. I need more."

Bracing himself against the wall with one arm, Danny shifted the angle of his penetration and soon Lindsay's body began to quiver and tighten, the hot pool in her abdomen on the verge of exploding. Reaching down between their bodies, she began to tease and flick her clit.

Feeling her hand moving between them, Danny glanced down. "Shit, Linds... that is so damn hot," he growled, his voice hoarse with desire.

"Yeah? You like that?" she asked, her arousal deepening as she watched Danny's eyes focused on the movement of her hand. "You like it when I touch myself?"

"Hell yeah," he panted. "You got no idea... so goddamn sexy."

"Mmm... deeper, baby," Lindsay moaned, quickening the pace of her fingers. "Oh... please! More!"

"I can't go any deeper, Linds," Danny replied, breathless from his exertions. "I don't wanna hurt you."

"You're not... you won't..." Lindsay assured him. "I'm so close, Danny. Please!"

Hearing the pleading in his wife's voice, Danny adjusted his hold on Lindsay, hitching her higher up the wall and spreading her legs wider, allowing him to go just that little bit deeper. He slowed his speed, pressing into her as far as he dared and holding his position before pulling out quickly. He continued this pattern - slowly in then quickly out - until Lindsay threw her head back and let out a loud groan of pleasure, her nails digging hard into his shoulders while she trembled and finally let go, her core tightening around his cock as her orgasm rocked her body.

"Yes! Yes! Oh God, yes!" she panted as intense waves of pleasure rippled outward from her core. She drew her hand out from where she had continued to stimulate her clit and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him in for a fiery kiss, her tongue roughly trolling around in his mouth while he once again picked up his pace in search of his own climax. He moaned against her lips when he felt the first stirrings of his orgasm and it wasn't long before he spilled inside of her. He leaned heavily on his arms to keep from collapsing when his legs threatened to give out on him after the strain of holding up the both of them against the wall for so long.

"Jesus Christ," he breathed, slowly lowering Lindsay's feet back down to the ground. He grinned down at his wife who was lovingly stroking her hands up and down his back under the fabric of his shirt. "You are a dirty girl Montana. It's been a while since we did it rough like that. You okay?"

"Mmm..." she sighed, standing on her tiptoes to reach his lips for a kiss. "More than okay, cowboy. You?"

"I think I might need a nap," Danny replied with a wry grin. "You wore me out, babe."

"You started it," Lindsay chuckled. "Next time maybe you'll think twice before starting something you can't finish."

Danny raised his eyebrows. "Excuse me? Who says I didn't finish?" he asked. "If you need proof, I'd be more than happy to provide you with an instant replay." He smiled and tenderly swiped a stray curl from her forehead before pressing a kiss to the same spot.

They stayed entangled in one another's embrace against the wall until they'd managed to catch their breaths. Lindsay glanced over Danny's shoulder at the clock on the bedside table, letting out a sigh as she saw the time.

"We'd better get a move on," she said. "People are gonna be wondering where we are."

"Yeah I guess," Danny agreed. "And Lucy has definitely slept long enough. Any longer and she'll never sleep tonight."

Raising herself up onto her toes, Lindsay pecked Danny lightly on the lips. "I gotta go clean up a bit. Can you get Lucy ready?"

Danny winked at her. "You got it, babe."

Gathering her discarded clothes in her arms, Lindsay slipped into the bathroom to re-dress and check her appearance in the mirror. She was pleasantly surprised to find that her hair and makeup weren't too badly disheveled. After getting back into her clothes, she slid her feet into her shoes before she quickly fluffed her hair with her fingers and applied a coat of gloss to her lips. She smiled at her reflection as she overheard Lucy's little voice chatting animatedly to Danny as he woke her from her nap.

She stepped out of the bathroom to see Danny sitting on the couch getting Lucy into the little pink party dress Lindsay had set out for her.

"Mama!" Lucy bellowed, grinning widely up at her mother. "Yoo-see all done s'eep!"

"I can see that," Lindsay replied. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"Yup," Lucy answered. "Yoo-see pwetty?"

"You look so pretty, baby," Lindsay smiled.

"An' Mama pwetty," Lucy continued, pointing at Lindsay.

"Yeah, Mommy looks beautiful, doesn't she?" Danny asked. "Can you say beautiful, sweetheart? Beautiful?" he repeated, sounding out the word.

"Boo'full," Lucy parroted. "Dada boo'full!"

Danny groaned. "No, sweetie. Boys aren't beautiful and Daddy's a boy. _Mommy_ is beautiful."

"An' Dada too. Boo'full."

Lindsay giggled and rested her chin on Danny's shoulder, kissing his cheek. "I think you're beautiful, baby."

"Shut up," Danny replied. "You're not helping." He swooped Lucy up into his arms and growled playfully as he pretended to nibble on her tummy, causing the little girl to erupt in a fit of giggles. "You ready to go get some dinner, you little monkey?"

"Yah! Hung-wee!" Lucy squealed.

"Alright, let's go. I'm starving," he said, getting to his feet. He shot a cheeky wink in Lindsay's direction. "Mommy made me work up an appetite."

"Danny!" Lindsay chastised. "Don't tell her that!"

"What? She doesn't know what it means," he laughed. "Besides, when am I not hungry?"

Lindsay shook her head as she grabbed her purse from the table, checking that she had her keycard before she led the way to the door. "You're insatiable, is what you are. In more ways than one."

* * *

***Lets out a deep, satisfied sigh***

**You have no idea how good it feels to finally post this chapter! I felt bad about keeping you all waiting and a number of you mentioned in reviews and PMs that you were getting a little anxious because of the dry spell Danny and Lindsay have been in over the past few chapters. I was actually going to postpone the smut for later, but I figured I owed it to you all for your patience. **

**Thanks again for reading and sticking with me! As always, I'm anxiously looking forward to hear what you thought of this chapter.**

**Until next time!  
**

***rhymes***


	51. Dinner Time!

**A/N: Hello? Anybody still out there?**

***Sigh***

**Despite any rumours you may have heard, I have not fallen off the face of the earth. I was not eaten by the Loch Ness Monster. I have not entered the Witness Protection Program. Unfortunately, having a social life and finding other outlets for my creativity leads to having little to no time for writing. Add to that the fact that I've had bronchitis 4 times over the past six months, while my computer decided to crap out on me and it all adds up to an absentee rhymes. **

**I can't believe I've let it go this long without updating this story. I'm so sorry to have left you all in the lurch – both in HSD and in Something Wicked. However, rest assured that while I may not have been posting, I certainly haven't forgotten about my stories and I have continued to write. I just had to find some time to bring all of my ideas for the next chapter together and put in the finishing touches. Please keep your eyes pealed for an update of Something Wicked soon!**

**Now, I'll leave you to pick up where we left off – with our favourite couple (and Lucy!) heading downstairs to meet the family. Enjoy!**

* * *

By the time Danny, Lindsay and Lucy made it down to the private dining room reserved for guests of Dario and Julie's wedding, dinner was already in fully swing. They stood in the doorway for a moment, their eyes scanning the crowded and noisy room. At a small table near the back, Danny saw his parents sitting with another older couple he didn't recognize. There were two empty seats at the table, so he gently placed his hand in the small of Lindsay's back, guiding her across the room.

He nodded at vaguely familiar faces smiling up at him from other tables. One pair of green eyes caught his attention and he smiled when Jamie winked at him from her seat with several other younger people. He felt Lindsay tense against his hand and he turned his head to see her narrowing her eyes in Jamie's direction. Apparently she still wasn't completely sold on the idea that he and Jamie were simply old friends and nothing more.

"Yo! Danny!"

He turned to see Dario approaching from across the room, a pretty petite woman with raven black hair at his side.

"Hey, Dario," Danny said, shaking hands with his cousin. He smiled at Julie before leaning in to press a quick kiss to her cheek. "Hey Jules. Good to see ya."

"We were wondering when you guys were gonna grace us with your presence," Julie quipped. "Dario said he'd seen you earlier, but I was beginning to have my doubts."

"Sorry," Lindsay said, accepting a hug from Julie. "We went swimming this afternoon and it tuckered out Lucy here. We didn't want to wake her from her nap too soon."

Dario glanced back and forth between husband and wife, a knowing grin on his face. "Sure. Blame the innocent kid," he said. He leaned in so he could whisper in Danny's ear. "By the way, Danno… you got lipstick on your neck."

"What?" Danny's hand instantly flew to his neck, causing Dario to chuckle. "Shut up, you prick," he muttered.

"I'm only teasing ya, Dan," Dario laughed. "It's fine. Glad you two are still finding time to have a little fun. Gives me hope for Jules and me. I mean if an old married couple like you two can still get it on…" Dario broke off, laughing when Danny aimed a playful punch in his direction.

"_Old_ married couple?" Danny growled. "May I remind you that you're almost a year older than me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever," Dario snickered. "Anyway, you guys had better head for the buffet before all the food is gone. Uncle Marco is almost done his first plate and you know he'll be going back for seconds."

"And thirds. And maybe fourths," Danny acknowledged, glancing across the room at their Uncle Marco – a large and formidable man with an appetite that was practically legendary. "Alright, we'll go get our food and catch up with you guys later, yeah?"

Before Danny could lead his small family toward the long buffet table set up on the far side of the room, he saw Julie grab Dario's arm and whisper urgently in his ear.

"Aren't you going to ask them?" she hissed.

Dario shrugged. "Let them get some food first, honey. We'll ask them later."

Julie frowned, her mouth turned down into a pretty pout. "But I need to know _now_. If they say no, then I have to make other arrangements!"

Dario rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Sorry, guys. Do you have a few minutes?" he asked, looking sheepish at keeping them from their dinner. "It's just… Jules and me have a favour to ask."

"Um…" Danny glanced questioningly at Lindsay who inclined her head in the affirmative. "…Sure. What can we do for you?"

"Well, it's about the wedding party," Julie rushed to explain. "You see, I had everyone set, but then my Flower Girl came down with the Chicken Pox, so…"

"We were hoping you guys would consider letting Lucy fill in as our Flower Girl," Dario finished for her. "I know it's really last minute, but…"

"I don't know," Lindsay began. "Don't you think she might be a little young? I mean she's never had to do anything like this before. And she's pretty shy when it comes to big groups of people. I don't know if she'd make it down the aisle all by herself."

"Please?" Julie begged, her hands clasped together and her expression pleading. "Just think about it over dinner and let me know, okay? _Please_?"

"Yeah, Jules. We'll think about it," Danny assured her with a smile. "Come on, babe. Let's go get you some food."

"Fooooooood!" Lucy chirped happily as Lindsay carried her toward the table where Danny's parents were sitting. "Hungwee!"

"I know you're hungry, sweetie," Lindsay said, jiggling Lucy in her arms before bestowing a smile upon her in-laws. "Hi, Mom. Hi Dad. Oh, please don't get up!"

Joe Messer smiled and stood despite Lindsay's protest, leaning in to kiss her cheek affectionately. "Nonsense, Lindsay. I was raised to stand and show respect whenever a lady comes to my table," he said before he took Lucy from her and blew a loud, wet raspberry against the little girl's cheek, earning himself a delighted giggle.

"Papa!" Lucy cried before she began to squirm in Joe's arms, turning to bestow an elated smile on her grandmother and reaching out her pudgy arms. "Nona!"

"Oh, _mia bambina_!" Maria Messer exclaimed, rising from her seat and accepting Lucy with outstretched arms. She peppered the little girl's cheeks with kisses, and Lucy practically glowed at the attention from her doting grandmother. With a broad smile across his handsome face, Joe Messer turned to greet the new arrivals.

"There you are, son," he said, gripping Danny's hand tightly and clapping him affectionately on the shoulder. "We were wondering when you guys would show up. Maria's been dying to show off her grandbaby." He winked at Danny before he bestowed a smile upon Lindsay. "How ya doing, kiddo?" he asked Lindsay, pulling her in for a one armed hug.

"I'm good, Dad. How are you?" Lindsay asked.

Joe shrugged his shoulders and gave Lindsay the charming Messer grin that he had passed on to his son. "Ah, not so bad," he replied. "Had a good trip up here. We got sand. We got sun... Maria's got her little princess to spoil. Life is good."

Lindsay glanced over to where Maria had already whisked Lucy off to a nearby table where a group of silver-haired ladies were gathered, the lot of them cooing and fawning over the little girl who was clearly in her element.

"It's like we don't even exist," Danny muttered, although there was a hint of a smile on his face. "Hey, Ma! It's good to see you too!"

Joe shook his head, laughing as he retook his seat at the table. "You two want to join us? Or does Julie have other plans for you tonight?" he asked.

"Um… I don't really know," Danny admitted with a shrug of his shoulders. "I don't see a seating chart anywhere, so I guess we just sit wherever."

"Well if you don't mind sitting with us old farts, you're more than welcome at our table," Joe offered, pulling out the chair beside him and offering it to Lindsay. "Why don't you take a load of, kiddo? Danny said you weren't feeling too hot the other day." He glanced up at Danny. "Where's your manners, son? Go get your wife a drink."

Danny rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah. I'm going." He winked at Lindsay before turning and heading for the bar set up at the far end of the room.

"So," Joe said, leaning back in his chair and looking appraisingly at Lindsay. "Feeling better? What was it – a stomach bug?"

"Um… yeah. Something like that," Lindsay replied, lowering her eyes to the table, toying with the cutlery at her place setting. "But, yes. I am feeling better, thank you."

"Good to know," Joe said. He took a sip of his beer and chuckled. "Maria will be disappointed though. As soon as she heard you had an upset stomach… well, you can guess where her mind went right off the bat," he laughed. "Practically had to wrestle her to the ground to keep her from calling everyone she knows to tell them you were pregnant again."

Lindsay laughed nervously. She knew that – like her own parents – Joe and Maria were eager to welcome another grandchild into the fold. But she and Danny had decided to keep the news to themselves at least until they could confirm it officially with her doctor. And although there was no doubt in her mind – nor in Danny's – that she was pregnant, there was no sense in getting everyone else's hopes up if it was a false alarm.

"So… how've you been?" Lindsay asked, trying to sidestep the subject. "I know it's only been like a week, but it feels like forever since we last saw you guys."

"Oh, you know," Joe said with an amiable wave of his hand. "Same old, same old. Maria's got a thousand chores for me to do around the house and I keep coming up with creative ways to get out of doing them."

Lindsay grinned knowingly at her father-in-law. "So that's where Danny gets it from," she said, earning a hoot of laughter from Joe.

"Yeah, the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, I guess," he conceded. "Now, if you'll excuse me for a bit, I'm going to go and see if there's any food left at the buffet. And if you plan on eating tonight, you might want to think about doing the same."

"We will. Thanks, Dad."

Joe smiled as he sauntered toward the long table at the far end of the room.

"There you go, Linds," Danny said, placing a wineglass brimming with sparkling amber liquid down in front of Lindsay before taking a seat beside her. She turned to him with wide eyes.

"Danny!" she hissed, leaning in so only he could hear. "I can't drink that! I'm not supposed to…"

Danny cut her off by placing a firm kiss to her lips. "Relax, Linds," he soothed. "I'm not an idiot. I know wine is off the menu for you." He smiled and stroked her cheek. "But I also know my mother. And if you don't have a glass of something in your hand, she'll know something's up." He clinked his glass against hers before raising it to his lips. "Bottoms up."

"So… I'm just supposed to wave this glass around and pretend to drink from it?" Lindsay grumbled mulishly, glaring at him as he sipped at his own beverage. "Gee, thanks Dan. Sounds like fun."

Danny rolled his eyes. "It's sparkling apple juice, ya goof."

Lindsay lowered her gaze to the glass on the table before her, picking it up and tentatively sniffing the contents. She took a cautious sip of the fizzling liquid. It was sweet and tangy and bubbly. A smile lit Lindsay's face and she shook her head. "Smarter than you look, Messer," she teased before cupping his face in her hands and pressing a lingering kiss to his lips. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he replied. "Now, I don't know about you, but I'm about ready to eat my own arm. I'm gonna go get some dinner. You want me to get you a plate too?"

Lindsay shook her head. "Thanks, Dan. But I'll do it myself. I won't know what I want until I see what's there."

Danny smiled. "Well I had a peek while I was waiting at the bar and they've got lots of pickles…" He laughed and nimbly got to his feet, ducking away from the playful smack Lindsay aimed in his direction.

* * *

"What?" Lindsay asked, feeling Danny's eyes on her. She covered her mouth with her hand, chewing and swallowing before she glanced up at him. "Why are you staring at me?"

Danny shook his head. "I just… I was wondering where you put it all," he said, his voice laced with incredulity. "I mean you just ate twice as much as me. You got a hollow leg I don't know about?"

Lindsay frowned. "I was hungry," she explained simply.

"Apparently," Danny said, his eyes twinkling. "You done? Or do you want me to get you some more?"

"Well not if you're going to make fun of me," Lindsay shot back, setting down her fork and glaring at her husband out of the corner of her eye.

Danny's expression softened and he leaned in to press an apologetic kiss to her cheek. "I'm sorry, babe," he said contritely. "It's just… I don't think I've ever seen you eat so much in one sitting before. I'm kind of impressed, actually."

Lindsay snorted before begrudgingly admitting that she was full. She delicately wiped her mouth with her napkin before setting it aside and turning to Danny. "You should be impressed," she replied, gazing up at him through coyly lowered lashes. "I figured I'd need to keep my strength up seeing as you promised me a night of passion," she said, reaching out one hand and placing it on his leg, skimming her palm lightly up and down his thigh. "You said you'd spend all night showing me how much you love me if I wanted it."

Danny's eyes darkened and she heard him growl softly in the back of his throat. When he spoke, his voice was low and gruff. "Yeah. I did."

Lindsay leaned in, pressing her lips to his ear. "I want it," she purred.

"And you say that I'm insatiable," Danny replied in a low, husky drawl.

Lindsay smiled, pressing a quick kiss to his lips before turning her attention back to the other occupants of their table. Lucy had finished her dinner and was once again holding court with her grandparents and a small crowd of admiring relatives.

"Oh, Maria," cooed one woman while gently pinching Lucy's rosy cheek, "She's just beautiful."

"Isn't she?" Maria replied with more than a hint of pride in her voice as she bounced a giggling Lucy on her lap.

"She looks just like Danny did when he was her age," said another white-haired woman.

Maria nodded her head. "Yes… except for the nose. I think she's definitely got her mother's nose." With her free hand, Maria gestured across the table to where Danny and Lindsay were sitting. "Annette, Flo; this is my daughter-in-law, Lindsay. Lindsay dear, these are Danny's aunts, Annette and Flora."

"Hi," Lindsay said, raising one hand to wave in greeting. The aunts nodded their heads and smiled, each giving Lindsay a quick, appraising once-over before turning their attention back to a very receptive Lucy.

"I see what you mean about the nose," Flo said. "Definitely not the Messer nose."

Lindsay furrowed her brow. "What's wrong with her nose?" she whispered in Danny's ear.

Chuckling, Danny shook his head. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with it," he replied. "It's perfect. Just like yours."

"Hmph," Lindsay huffed, feeling slightly put out. "They don't seem to think so."

Danny slid his arm around Lindsay's shoulders, pulling her close and pressing a kiss to her temple. "Who cares what they think?" he asked. "Besides, I'd much rather have Lucy with a cute little button nose like yours than the Messer beak they all seem so fond of."

Lindsay turned to smile at Danny. She gently poked the tip of his nose. "I like your beak."

"Gee, thanks babe," Danny laughed, leaning in to steal another kiss from his wife. "So," he asked, "You feeling brave? I think it's time I took you around to meet the family."

"I guess so," Lindsay said, feeling more than a little nervous.

"Come on. You'll be fine," Danny encouraged, getting to his feet and offering his hand to help her up.

"I guess so," Lindsay sighed, pushing her chair back from the table and hesitantly taking Danny's hand. He smiled and raised their joined hands, brushing his lips against her knuckles.

"I promise they're gonna love you," he vowed.

"How can you be so sure?" Lindsay asked.

"Because I love you," he replied simply.

"Where are you kids off to?" Joe Messer asked, noticing the couple getting up from the table.

Danny grinned at his father. "I'm gonna show of my beautiful girl, here," he said, shooting a wink in Lindsay's direction. "You guys okay with Luce for a bit?"

"We'll be fine, son. Don't you worry," Joe assured them. "Besides, I don't think you could pry Lucy from her Nona's arms right now if you tried," he chuckled, casting an indulgent glance at his wife and granddaughter. "You two have fun."

* * *

Lindsay breathed in a deep lungful of cool, crisp night air as she stepped out onto the balcony outside the private dining hall reserved for the guests of Julie and Dario's wedding.

Her own family gatherings tended to be small, quiet affairs. Danny's family, on the other hand, were noisy and gregarious. Of course she'd been to smaller events at Danny's parents' home before – Nonie's birthday party, for example – and had found them a lot of fun. Not that she wasn't enjoying herself tonight. She just needed a few moments of quiet before she returned to the loud, boisterous crowd inside.

She heard the sound of the door opening behind her and soon a pair of strong arms encircled her waist, lips pressing gentle kisses to the column of her neck.

"Hey, baby," she said, smiling as Danny paused to nibble on the tender skin behind her ear.

"Well, it's official," Danny murmured, nuzzling his cheek against hers. "You're a huge hit with my family. Not that I ever thought you wouldn't be. How could they not love you?"

Lindsay smiled, closing her eyes and leaning contentedly back into Danny's warm embrace. From the moment Danny had begun to whisk her around the dining room after finishing their meal, she had been the object of more than a few curious glances. Danny proudly led her around the room introducing her to members of his family she hadn't had a chance to meet before, and by the time they'd made their rounds, he'd been practically bursting with pride, causing Lindsay's cheeks to flush with colour.

"Mmm… actually I think that Lucy was the bigger hit," she replied demurely. "She's got every single person in that room wrapped around her little finger already."

"Well, that goes without saying," Danny chuckled. "But to hear my mom tell it, Lucy is more her accomplishment than yours and mine."

"Can you blame her? And just think," Lindsay mused, "In a few months, she'll have another grandbaby to show off at these big family things."

She turned her head, glancing up at Danny who was smiling tenderly down at her. He lowered his face, pressing his lips to hers in a delicate kiss as his hands gently caressed her belly through the fabric of her dress. "I love you," he said softly.

"I know you do, Danny," Lindsay replied. "And I love you too. So much." She leaned back against him once more, signing in contentment as she looked up at him over her shoulder. "I am so happy right now. I'm happy to be here in this beautiful place. I'm happy to just be… with you."

Danny's lips curled into a lopsided grin. "Wow," he said. "Those pregnancy hormones really do make you go all sappy, don't they?"

Lindsay sighed and rolled her eyes. "You are such a jerk," she moaned. "Way to ruin the moment, Romeo."

"I'm only kidding, babe," Danny replied, his grin broadening into a full-fledged smile. "You know I'm crazy about you."

"Well, I know you're crazy," Lindsay quipped, laughing when Danny narrowed his eyes at her. She could see the muscles in his jaw working hard to maintain the illusion of seriousness, but soon the corners of his lips began to twitch and his eyes crinkled in a smile. "Come here, baby," Lindsay said, her fingers grasping the collar of Danny's shirt, pulling him closer and she raised herself up onto her tiptoes, eager to feel his lips on hers.

He drew his tongue along the seam of her lips and she willingly parted them, allowing him entrance to explore her mouth, which he did readily. His arms tightened around her and in turn, Lindsay's fingers slid up into his hair, tugging the short, fine strands and causing Danny to moan into her open mouth.

Both were so involved in one another, that neither heard the sound of the balcony doors opening.

"Danny?" A female voice asked. "Danny, are you… Oops. Sorry."

Unwillingly parting from his wife's lips, Danny turned and grinned at Jamie, who stood awkwardly in the doorway, clearly embarrassed at having interrupted their intimate moment. "Hey, Jamie."

"I'm so sorry," she repeated. "I didn't mean to…" Jamie broke off and smiled apologetically at Lindsay. "Hi Lindsay. Again."

"Hi Jamie," Lindsay replied, sliding her arm possessively around Danny's waist. "What can we do for you?"

"Um… actually, I was hoping that I could borrow Danny for a few minutes," Jamie said, her eyes flicking between husband and wife. "I promise I'll bring him back in once piece."

"You better," Lindsay muttered under her breath. Plastering a smile on her face, she spoke aloud. "Of course," she replied before turning to Danny. "I'll just go check on Lucy."

"Thanks, babe," Danny smiled, lowering his face to place a quick kiss to his wife's lips. "I'll just be a few… mmph!" His sentence was cut off as Lindsay took a firm hold of the front of his shirt with one hand as the other wound its way around to the back of his head, pulling his face down to hers and sealing her mouth over his. Danny moaned softly as Lindsay's tongue flicked teasingly against his. And as quickly as it had begun, it was over. Lindsay pulled back, delicately licking her lips before giving him a self-satisfied smile.

"I'll see you inside," she said, straightening his collar and combing her fingers through his hair which stood askew atop his head. "Don't keep me waiting too long, cowboy." With that she shot him a wink before turning and gliding toward the door, her hips swaying seductively as she walked. Danny watched her go, staring dumbfoundedly at the closed door for a few seconds longer, his brain still lingering on her unexpected and heated kiss.

"So… cowboy, huh?" Jamie asked, her tone teasing and an amused expression on her face as she took in her friend's lust-addled appearance.

Danny gave his head a shake before grinning somewhat shyly at Jamie. "It's a Montana thing," he explained, earning a knowing smile from his friend. "Shut up," he said, blushing. "What do you want?"

Still smiling, Jamie took a step toward him, one hand moving to her purse. "I wanted to give this to you before I lost it," she said, pulling a long, slender velvet box from her handbag.

Taking the box from her, Danny cracked it open and snuck a peek at the contents. He let out a low, appreciative whistle. "Wow. That's… holy shit. Thank you, Jamie. It's beautiful."

"I told you," she replied with a grin.

"Yeah, but you could have just been blowing your own horn," Danny teased. Turning serious, he carefully lifted the delicate silver necklace from the box and held it up so he could examine the elegant craftsmanship. Several months earlier he had gone to Jamie with an idea for a gift for Lindsay. Jamie had always had an eye for art and fashion and after high school, she had gone on to pursue a career in graphic design, before she had finally found herself working as a jewelry designer. She had taken his idea and not only brought it to life, but made if far more beautiful than Danny had dared to hope.

Lindsay wasn't one for flashy jewelry. In fact, other than her wedding and engagement ring, she rarely wore any jewelry unless they were going out for a special event of some kind. But he hoped that the pendant Jamie had designed - two fine strands of silver forming a pair of hearts intricately woven together with a trail of tiny diamonds embedded around the edge – was something he would see her wear more often.

"Wow," Danny repeated, placing the necklace back into the box. He looked up at his friend and smiled. "Thank you so much, Jamie. It's just… it's exactly what I wanted for her."

"You are so welcome my friend," Jamie replied, obviously pleased with his response. "I'm just happy that I could do this for you. I mean, when you get married without telling anyone, you make it kind of hard for your friends to get you a wedding present."

Danny's head shot up. "What? No. Jamie…"

But Jamie held up a silencing hand and shook her head. "It's no good to argue with me Danny Messer. You're money is no good to me," she insisted. "I wanted to do something for you two, and when you asked me to do this…" she trailed off and shrugged her shoulders.

Danny smiled, tucking the box containing the necklace into his pocket. He reached out and pulled Jamie into a tight hug. "Thank you."

Jamie pulled back, giving Danny's cheek an affectionate pinch. "No problem, Danny. What are friends for? Now," she said, stepping back and gesturing to the door leading into the room where the party was still in full swing, "I believe I promised your wife I'd have you back to her in a few minutes and we're out of time. Besides," she continued, heading for the door, "You still haven't introduced me to the other lady in your life. I hear Lucy looks just like you."

"Nah. She's got her mom's nose," Danny quipped as he followed Jamie through the door in search of his family.

* * *

**Thanks for hanging in there! I hope you enjoyed this update. Keep checking back for more!**

**As always, your comments are always welcome, so please feel free to leave a review!**

***rhymes***


	52. Please Sir, Can I Have S'More?

**A/N: *peaks shamefully out from hiding place***

**So… it's been a while, hey? All I can say is I'm sorry for going AWOL yet again. Although I was ecstatic at finding out that we were indeed getting another season of our beloved show, for some reason I just couldn't get up the enthusiasm needed to sit down and write. Not sure what that's all about, as I completely fell off the face of the DL universe. But all is not lost. I've recently begun revisiting some of my favourite stories, finding inspiration and rejuvenating my love for all things Messer. Yay!**

**So, now down to the important stuff. I'll leave you here to catch up with our favourite couple (and little Lucy of course). Enjoy!**

* * *

After rejoining the party, Lindsay stopped by her in-laws' table to check that Lucy wasn't becoming too much of a handful for her grandparents.

"Oh, no," Maria assured her daughter-in-law as she handed a now drowsy Lucy over to her mother, "She's been a little angel. She had everyone eating out the palm of her impossibly adorable hand."

Lindsay smiled and pressed a loving kiss to Lucy's soft, warm cheek. "I'm glad to hear it," she said. Lucy sighed and nuzzled her face against Lindsay's shoulder. "You sleepy, baby girl?"

"No. Yoo-see wake," the little girl mumbled.

"If you say so," Lindsay said. Sharing a grin with Maria, she gently rubbed her daughter's back. "Thanks for keeping an eye on her."

"You know its no trouble at all," Maria replied, stroking her beloved granddaughter's hair from her forehead. "You know, Joe and I are probably going to turn in soon. If you and Danny want to stay down here with the other young people for a while, we could take her for the night. I think I heard Dario mention something about going down to the beach for a bonfire."

"Are you sure?" Lindsay asked, always hesitant about imposing on the generosity of Danny's parents. She didn't want to seem as though she was taking advantage of their kindness, although she knew she needn't really worry. Lucy was the apple of her grandparents' eyes and time spent with the toddler was never seen as burdensome.

"Of course not. You know that."

Lindsay smiled. "I'll talk to Danny and we'll let you know."

Maria smiled as Lindsay turned, her eyes scanning the crowded room for her husband. Not seeing him, she wandered over to the bar to refill her now long empty glass with more of the sparkling apple juice.

"Thanks," she said to the bartender, accepting her glass. About to take a sip, she felt a warm body press against her back and strong arms encircled her waist.

"There's my beautiful girls," Danny said before pressing a kiss to Lucy's forehead, then Lindsay's lips.

"Dada," Lucy moaned sleepily, raising her head and holding out her arms to him. He carefully took Lucy from his wife, cuddling her close to his chest and rubbing her back while she wound her arms around his neck.

"So… we haven't talked about it yet," he said quietly to Lindsay as they began to walk toward a vacant table at the back of the room. "About Luce being a Flower Girl. We promised Jules and Dario we would."

Lindsay sipped thoughtfully at her drink. "What do you think?" she asked.

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. She'll probably be fine," he said. "But I'm a guy. What do I know about being a Flower Girl?"

Lindsay grinned at him over the rim of her glass. "All she would have to do is walk down the aisle with the Ring Bearer and sprinkle flower petals… I think she can probably handle that."

"Well, we know she's good at making a mess, so that part's easy," Danny quipped, gently poking Lucy's button nose and causing her to giggle. "I just hope she won't come over shy all of a sudden and make a fuss about going down the aisle in front of all those people."

"Well, I can make sure that I'm sitting on the aisle so I can help her if she needs it," Lindsay said. "And you'll be up front with Dario. If nothing else, we can just tell her to walk down the aisle and come to you."

"So… we'll let them know that it's a yes?"

"Yeah. I think so," Lindsay agreed.

"What's a yes?"

They turned to see the engaged couple heading toward them.

"Lucy can be your Flower Girl," Lindsay answered Julie's question. "That is, if you haven't found anyone else yet."

Julie's eyes lit up and she clasped her hands together in glee. "Really? Oh, you mean it?" she squealed. "Oh my God! Thank you, thank you!" She turned to her fiancé. "Did you hear that, honey? We have a Flower Girl!"

"Yeah, I heard," Dario replied. "Thanks guys. That's such a big help."

"Okay, so," Julie began, sitting down beside Lindsay. "We're having a rehearsal tomorrow afternoon so she can come with Danny and we'll go through the whole ceremony and she can meet my little nephew Riley who is going to be the Ring Bearer. And we'll have to get the dress adjusted to fit Lucy… she's a little smaller than our original Flower Girl, but my mom is really good with a needle and thread so that shouldn't be a problem." She flashed an excited smile at Danny and Lindsay. "Oh, I'm so happy! She is going to be so adorable!"

"So, now that we've gotten that settled," Dario said, "We were just coming to see if you guys wanted to join us and few others down on the beach. They've got a big fire pit a little ways down. One of my buddies from college brought his guitar and we've got the stuff to make s'mores. You in?"

Danny glanced down at Lucy, now slumbering peacefully with her head resting heavily on his shoulder. "I don't know," he began.

"Babe, your mom said that she and your dad would take her for the night," Lindsay informed him. "She thought we might not be ready to call it a night just yet."

"Well, then I'd say that a beach bonfire sounds like a great idea," he said. "Just give us a few minutes to get Lucy set with my folks and we'll meet you down there."

* * *

"You've got her bear and her blanket, right?" Lindsay asked for the second time in the last five minutes.

"Yeah, babe. They're in her diaper bag," Danny replied. "Will you relax? She's just going to be in mom and dad's room down the hall. If they need anything, I'll leave my keycard with my mom so she can come in here and get it."

Lindsay emerged from the bedroom with Lucy's little pink jammies in her hand and a sheepish smile on her face. "Sorry," she said. "I just don't want to inconvenience your folks by making them run around looking for all Lucy's stuff."

"I know, Linds. But you're acting like they've never had her overnight before."

Lindsay sighed as she bent to stuff the jammies into the diaper bag with the rest of Lucy's paraphernalia. Then she moved to the side of the crib where Lucy was now sprawled out, sound asleep. She reached down and gently smoothed Lucy's wild curls with her fingers. "This is different, Danny. We're not at home or even at your parents' house. What if she wakes up in the middle of the night? She's in a strange place and you and I won't be there… what if she gets scared?"

"Then my mom will look after her," Danny assured his wife. Lindsay stared balefully back at him and he crossed the room and took her face gently in his hands. "Look, if this is really bothering you, we don't have to go. I'm sure we can find something to do to occupy our time." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and leaned in to press a sweet kiss to her lips.

"No, no. We'll go," Lindsay said, leaning into him and resting her cheek against his shoulder. "I'm just being ridiculous. Lucy will be fine."

"Of course she will," Danny said, moving his hands to rub slow, soothing circles on her back. "And you'll have such a good time down on the beach that you won't even have a chance to be worried about Lucy. And when we're done down there, we'll come back up here and I'll do my very best to keep you're mind and your body occupied all night long."

Lindsay giggled as Danny's hands roamed down to the curve of her backside, his lips softly caressing her neck, his gentle touches serving as the merest hint of what he had planned for her later.

"Mmm… I'm holding you to that, baby. All night long is a pretty tall order," she murmured, her hands sliding up Danny's chest and around his neck. She sighed when Danny lovingly nipped at her bare shoulder.

He pulled back and smiled at her and she stood on her tiptoes and placed a kiss to his chin. "You ready?"

"Almost."

"Almost? What else do we need? We got all Lucy's stuff…"

"Kiss me again. Then we can go."

Danny grinned, leaning in to her, his lips poised mere inches from hers. "You know they're already down there waiting for us, right?"

"I know," Lindsay replied, rubbing her nose affectionately against his. "So stop stalling and kiss me."

"Yes ma'am," Danny said with a wink as he pressed his lips to hers.

* * *

Apparently they needn't have worried about rushing. By the time Danny and Lindsay arrived on the beach, the small group that had assembled around the fire pit were just gathering the last of the firewood.

"Hey!" Dario called out when he saw them approaching. "Just in time!"

"You need a hand?" Danny asked, nodding to the bundle of sticks in Dario's arms.

"Sure," Dario said. "Come on over here and help me build the fire."

"Babe?" Danny said, turning to Lindsay.

"Go on," she said with a smile. "I'll find somewhere for us to sit."

Danny grinned at her and went to join his cousin, the two of them working to load the wood into the fire pit.

"Lindsay! Over here!" Julie waved her over, patting the empty space beside her on the driftwood log that was her makeshift bench. Lindsay smiled and crossed over to where Julie was sitting, draping one of the towels she had brought from the hotel over the log before sitting down. "We can let the men go all caveman while they build their fire and we can have a little girl talk," she said, nudging Lindsay with her elbow.

Lindsay giggled. "I like the sound of that," she said.

"So… how are you guys?" Julie asked. "I noticed you two kind of disappeared for awhile after dinner. Everything alright?"

"Sorry," Lindsay said contritely. "I just got a little overwhelmed and needed a few minutes of quiet."

Julie smiled knowingly. "Yeah… they're a noisy bunch, these Messers. I can't believe that after tomorrow I'm going to be one of them!"

"Congratulations again. You must be so excited! And this place… God, it's perfect here," Lindsay said, her gaze roaming over the white moonlit sand, the lights flickering from the hotel up the beach. "The beach is so beautiful and the town is so quaint and cute. Oh, and if you haven't made plans already you definitely need to check out the spa before you leave. It is unbelievable!"

"I think that after this last week of preparation, I am definitely going to need a little TLC," Julie sighed. "God, if I'd known that planning a wedding was going to be such a huge pain in the ass, I would have let Dario have his way and we would have just done like you and Danny did down at the courthouse. It would have been so much easier."

Lindsay smiled sympathetically. "Just remember that in the end, the little details that seem so important right now won't really matter. All that matters is the moment when he takes your hand in his, slides the ring onto your finger and says those two magic words that mean that he's yours forever," she said. "The flowers and the dress are just the icing on the cake, but you shouldn't let them bog you down."

Julie reached out and put her hand on Lindsay's arm, giving it a grateful squeeze. "Thanks, Lindsay," she said. "It helps to hear that, you know? I tend to get so caught up in all the little things that could go wrong – like my MIA Flower Girl - that I sometimes forget exactly what it is that Dario and I are here to do."

"Have hot, wedding night sex in the honeymoon suite?" Lindsay suggested, causing Julie to burst into giggles.

"Well, yeah. There's that," she acknowledged with a grin. "I think Dario is definitely looking forward to that part, too. It's probably the only reason he's put up with all this wedding insanity as well as he has."

"What on earth do you mean?" Lindsay chuckled. "I'm sure Dario loves looking at china patterns and talking about flower arrangements, cakes and centerpieces."

"God, you have no idea," Julie said, rolling her eyes. "Trying to get him to help out has been like pulling teeth. The only part of this whole thing that he cared about was having Danny as his Best Man and making sure that he didn't have to wear pink on his wedding day."

"Please tell me that you snuck a little pink in there just to spite him."

"Oh you bet your ass I did," Julie laughed. "Didn't Danny tell you? My wedding colours are hot pink and black. Dario calls it 'electric fuchsia to make it seem more manly, but it's pink."

"So… tie, vest, pocket square…"

"All pink," Julie said with a grin. "And a black tux."

"Funny that Danny didn't mention that at all," Lindsay said. "I didn't get to go to his fitting, so I haven't seen his tux yet."

"Well I was a little nicer to Danny," Julie informed her. "He just has a pink pocket square and the rest is black."

Lindsay sat quietly for a moment, enjoying the mental picture of her husband in a tuxedo. She'd never seen him in anything so formal, and if the way he looked in a suit was anything to go by… suddenly she felt very warm despite the cool ocean breeze that washed over her.

"Lindsay? Hello?"

"Hmm? Oh, sorry" Lindsay blushed. "I was just, um… thinking."

"Danny in a tux?" Julie guessed, a knowing smile on her face.

"Maybe," Lindsay said evasively, grateful for the darkness out here on the beach as she knew her cheeks were flushed at having been so obvious.

Julie's smile widened. "You guys are too cute," she said. "I hope that Dario and I will still be as crazy about each other as you two are when we're a couple years into our marriage. Care to give a gal a little friendly advice on how to keep that spark between us?"

"I'm no expert, Julie," Lindsay said.

"No," Julie agreed, "But you're happily married to a guy that still looks at you with the same desire in his eye as he did the first time Dario and I met you, way back when you two had just started dating. So spill. What's the secret?"

Lindsay smiled and shook her head. "There's no secret. We've just made a promise to one another that no matter what else is going on in our lives – whether it's work or chores around the apartment or Lucy – that we still need to make time to be husband and wife. And that doesn't always amount to sex. Sometimes it's just a little thing like holding hands in the elevator on the way up to our office."

"But the sex is still good though, right?" Julie blurted out, slapping her hand over her mouth, her eyes wide. "I'm so sorry, Lindsay. You don't have to answer that. It's none of my…"

Lindsay giggled. "The sex is still _phenomenal_," she said with a wink, drawing out the last word for effect. "You have no idea. So, _so_ good."

"I knew it!" Julie crowed, causing Lindsay to laugh. "So you're really not going to give me any advice?"

Lindsay shrugged her shoulders. "I guess the most important thing is just to remember why you fell in love in the first place and to make sure that you both know how much you love one another. Danny and I, we learned early on in our marriage not to take one another for granted because you never know what life has in store for you. Danny getting hurt taught us both to make the most of whatever time we have together."

Julie smiled sympathetically at the mention of the injury that had left Danny wheelchair-bound for nearly six months. Falling into a thoughtful and companionable silence, Julie's gaze turned toward her fiancé and Lindsay cast her eyes toward the water, admiring the way the moonlight sparkled on the gently lapping waves.

"You want a s'more, babe?"

Lindsay was drawn from her thought by Danny's voice. She looked up to see him standing over her, a pair of long slender sticks in one hand a couple of marshmallows in the other.

"Yes please," Lindsay replied quietly, giving him a small smile.

Danny's brow creased into a frown. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine," Lindsay said, but Danny was clearly not convinced.

He knelt in the sand in front of her so his eyes were level with hers. He set the sticks aside and placed his hand to her cheek. "You sure? You're not feeling sick are you?"

Shaking her head, Lindsay couldn't help the genuine smile that spread across her face at his loving concern. She reached out and framed Danny's face in her hands. "I'm fine, Danny. I was just lost in my thoughts, that's all."

"What were you thinking about that had you looking so sad?" Danny asked quietly, the concern not quite gone from his eyes.

"This is going to sound weird," Lindsay began, stroking the pads of her thumbs across his cheeks, "But I was thinking about how much I love you."

"And that makes you sad?" Danny asked, clearly confused.

"Not at all," Lindsay replied, giggling at the exasperated expression on her husband's face.

"I don't get it," he moaned. "Every time I think I'm getting close to understanding how women's minds work…" He shook his head. "So you're okay?" Lindsay nodded. "You're not sad or sick?" She shook her head. "You're fine?"

"Yup."

"And you were just thinking about how much you love me with a big old frown on your face."

"I didn't realize I was frowning. But yes, I guess so."

"You are so weird," he sighed, but leaned in to press a kiss to her upturned lips nonetheless. "Love you."

"Love you too, Dan," Lindsay replied, releasing his face and picking up the sticks he had set down earlier. "Now, I believe you were making me a s'more."

* * *

**So, that's another chapter in the books! **

**I was going to continue on with the bonfire, but this seems like a good place to pause for right now. I hope you've enjoyed getting back into this story and seeing a little fluffy goodness :)**

**On another note, for those of you who have been gently poking me with pointy sticks, the next chapter of Something Wicked is nearly done, so you can expect an update on that story in the very near future.**

**Please leave a quick review if you'd like to share your thoughts on this chapter. I really do look forward to hearing from you guys!**

**Cheers,**

**rhymes **


	53. Star Light, Star Bright

**A/N: Okay, so this was not a next-day update… but it's only been a week instead of several months, so I'm still proud of myself!**

**It was so good to get back to this story, and I am so happy to have another chapter to share with you all. Thanks to those of you who left reviews for the last installment – it was a relief to find that there are still a few folks out there still waiting eagerly for updates even though I've been ridiculously absent. So merci beaucoup to _Love DL Messer, mckenzie, MesserFamilyFan100, laurzz, webdlfan, CTI-Jenn, Ditto123_ and _Izzi Creo_.**

**Now, you may recall that in the last chapter, I hinted at maybe a little _something-something_ happening between our favourite couple. I don't want to give too much away, but I will warn you that there is just a teensy, weensy bit of smut in this one. So, you know… don't read it in public if you can help it. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

The bonfire had eventually died down, but not until Lindsay had enjoyed more than her share of s'mores. Danny had patiently toasted marshmallow after marshmallow for her over the fire, turning them often to ensure that they obtained the perfect golden-brown colour on the outside, while the insides melted into a delicious sticky goo that spread enticingly over the chocolate, causing it to melt and ooze out from between the graham crackers that held it all together.

Bobby – Dario's friend from college – had brought out his guitar after everyone had eaten their fill of the simple and sinfully delicious campfire treats, softly strumming in the background while voices carried in conversation above the crackle of the fire. Lindsay had surprised herself, opening up to the relative strangers around her and joining in the conversation, adding her own thoughts and laughing at the raunchy insults hurled back and forth between her husband and his cousin. She'd even been the focus of attention for a while, holding her audience's rapt attention while she told a fireside ghost story she'd heard in her youth back in Montana while on a camping trip with her Girl Guide troupe.

But soon the group had begun to disperse; Dario and Julie had a busy day ahead of them with last-minute details of their wedding to attend to. Their friends soon followed suit, tired after their long journeys earlier that day. And so it was that only Danny and Lindsay remained sitting beside the dying fire and watching the retreating forms of their compatriots.

As Danny stood to go, Lindsay grabbed his hand, pointing excitedly at the sky.

"Did you see that?" she asked. "Look! It's a shooting star! Quick; make a wish!"

Closing her eyes, Lindsay had felt his gaze on her while she'd made her wish. "What?" she asked, opening her eyes and seeing him smiling amusedly at her.

He simply squeezed her hand. "What'd you wish for?" he asked.

"I can't tell you that or it won't come true," she informed him solemnly.

"Ah. Right," he said, nodding his head, his smile widening.

"What?" she asked again.

He shook his head, his eyes twinkling. "You just made a wish on a falling star."

"And?"

"Nothing. I just… that's the most adorable thing I've ever seen you do."

Lindsay rolled her eyes. "Well, if you're gonna make fun of me…"

"I wasn't making fun," Danny said, his voice full of sincerity. He brought her fingers to his lips and brushed a tender kiss to her knuckles. "That right there… that's why I love you, babe. Don't ever change, okay?"

A delighted smile spread across Lindsay's face. "You wanna try and see another one?"

"Sure," Danny agreed. He grabbed their towels from the log where they'd been sitting, folding them over his arm and retaking Lindsay's hand in his. They walked quietly down the beach, their attention drawn up to the sky in search of more bright streaks in the night, emitting excited gasps when one of them happened to catch a glimpse out of the corner of their eye.

Finally, once they'd walked a fair distance and were barely within sight of the shadowy hulk of the hotel down the beach, Danny stopped. He kicked aside rocks and debris in his way and laid the towels down on the sand. He helped Lindsay get comfortable and then lay down beside her, his hand searching for hers as they lay with their eyes fixed on the dazzling display above them.

"Wow," he breathed in awe. "They don't look like this at home."

Lindsay smiled, refraining from pointing out that these were the stars she grew up with. Montana was _Big Sky Country_, and that always seemed to be doubly true at night when the sky was dotted with pinpricks of light that seemed to go on forever. But she didn't want to take this experience away from Danny who was a city boy through and through, born and bred in the _City That Never Sleeps_ where the stars dimmed in comparison to the bright lights of New York. It never ceased to amaze her that they could have been brought up so differently, and yet complete one another so perfectly.

"They're really something else, aren't they?" she agreed. "Beats the wheatfields, no?"

Danny turned to her, one eye brow arched and a smirk on his face. "Are you still holding that against me?" he chuckled.

Lindsay laughed. "I never held it against you, babe," she said. "It just makes me smile when I think about that day… you were so cocky and sure you were right, yet you'd never even _seen_ a wheatfield in your life."

"Yeah, well…" Danny grinned at her. "I was hoping to make an impression. Guess I succeeded."

"Mmm… you really, really did," Lindsay sighed. Turning her attention back to the sky, she searched for her favourite constellation. "There he is! There's Perseus."

"Where?" Danny asked.

"See? Right there," she said, using her finger to trace the invisible lines that made up the constellation.

"I can't see it," Danny grumbled, shifting slightly to better follow the path of Lindsay's outstretched finger. "Just looks like a bunch of stars to me."

"Okay… see that pattern of stars there? It kind of looks like a sideways 'W'?"

"Uh… okay. Yeah. Yeah, I see it," Danny said with a nod of his head. "It's kind of wonky, but if you say it's a 'W' then I guess I believe you."

Lindsay snorted back a laugh. "I do say so," she said. "That's Cassiopeia."

"Alright. Cassy… something-or-other," Danny mumbled. "Got it."

Lindsay giggled. "And do you see that bright blob there?" she asked, waiting for Danny's nod. "Well that's the Pleiades Cluster. It's seven stars that are all clumped together."

"Okay."

"And right between them... do you see that line of stars with a really bright one in the middle?"

"Uh huh," Danny said. "Yeah! Yeah, I see it!"

"That's Perseus," Lindsay said, smiling at Danny's excitement. "Well, it's his body. His arm kind of goes off to the side. See?"

"Wow," Danny said. "That is so cool." He turned to her. "How do you know all that?"

Lindsay shrugged. "My dad and I used to go stargazing together sometimes. In the summer, we'd stay out really late at night – almost until morning sometimes - just laying on a blanket out in the middle of nowhere staring up at the stars. Dad would bring a thermos of hot chocolate and his binoculars and we used to have a competition to see who could find more constellations." Lindsay smiled fondly at the memory. "He would always let me win. He said he could never find Perseus either."

She turned her head to see Danny's gaze fixed on her. "What?"

"That was something really special for you," Danny mused.

"It was," Lindsay agreed. "It was something just between the two of us. And out there in the middle of the night, it always felt like we were the only two people in the whole world."

Danny smiled. "You know what I think?"

"What?"

"We should do that with Lucy. When she's older, of course. When she can appreciate how special it is." He placed his hand on her belly. "And this little guy too. Or girl," he quickly amended with a wink.

Lindsay placed her hand over his, linking their fingers and sighing. "I think that's a great idea, honey," she said. "But you're gonna have to pick up some slack. If you want to do this then you have to be able to teach them some constellations too."

"Hey! I know constellations!" Danny protested.

Lindsay raised her eyebrows. "Oh, do you now?" she asked. "You couldn't find Perseus – one of the most famous constellations there is – but suddenly you're an expert?"

Danny grinned at her. "Well, I'll admit, some of mine are a little lesser known. You probably wouldn't have heard about 'em out in the sticks in Montana..." He broke off, laughing when Lindsay nudged him with her elbow. "They're mostly only known to New Yorkers."

Lindsay let out a long-suffering sigh. "Alright. I'll bite. I showed you mine, now you show me yours."

Danny wiggled his eyebrows playfully at her before turning his attention back to the sky.

"Well, you see that line of stars that kinda looks like a stick?"

"Yes."

"That's just a line of stars. It's not constellation. Don't be ridiculous."

"Danny!"

"Alright, alright," he chuckled. "Okay. See that? That's _Il Bambino_ – the Baseball Bat of the Sky."

"Uh huh," Lindsay said with a roll of her eyes.

Danny continued nonplussed. "And that one there is _Stripicus Maximus_ the tiger. And that's Mac pokin' around in it's mouth."

Lindsay giggled and Danny plowed on. "And that one there is _Don Corleone_."

"Don Corleone?" Lindsay asked, her eyebrow delicately arched in amusement.

"Yeah. See how he's right beside Perseus?" Danny asked. Lindsay nodded, biting her lip to keep from laughing at Danny's ridiculousness. "Well he's making him an offer he can't refuse."

Lindsay snorted with laughter. "Seriously?"

"What?" Danny asked, an amused twinkle in his eye.

"You are cut off, mister. You have watched _The Godfather_ one too many times." She chuckled to herself for a moment. "Don Corleone? You are so full of bullshit!"

Danny grinned. "Yeah, well you married me," he reminded her.

"Mmm… that I did," Lindsay mused, rolling onto her side and hooking one leg over Danny's. She brought her hand to his chest and toyed with the buttons on his shirt while resting her head on his shoulder. "You must have some redeeming qualities," she teased, dragging her toes up his leg.

"Maybe one or two," Danny replied, using his fingertips to trace along the line of her jaw. He hooked one finger under her chin, tilting her head up to him and leaning in, pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

"Or three of four," Lindsay continued before kissing him again. She felt his tongue pressing for entrance and she opened her mouth to him, fisting her fingers in the fabric of his shirt as the heat between them escalated. Danny shifted, rolling onto his side to bring his body into alignment with hers. His hand moved to her leg, his fingers sliding up from her knee to her thigh until it disappeared beneath the hem of her dress. A soft moan formed in the back of Lindsay's throat as he gently explored her backside through the fabric of her panties.

Finally, the need for air caused them to break apart and they lay entwined on their towels, noses touching while they caught their breaths.

"You know what I think?" Danny asked, affectionately rubbing his nose against hers.

"What do you think, baby?" Lindsay inquired.

"I think you and your dad were on to something," he said softly. He gave her backside a playful squeeze. "Out here under the stars… it really does feel like we're absolutely the only two people."

Lindsay giggled and nodded her agreement. "It does, doesn't it?" she asked. She leaned in to capture his lips again in a fiery kiss that caused the familiar warmth – the warmth that only his wife could incite in him - to begin forming in the depths of Danny's abdomen. Lindsay's hands skimmed up the front of his shirt, coming to rest on his shoulders. She gave him a little push, and before he even knew what was happening and without breaking their kiss, she had rolled him onto his back while she stretched out on top of him. He let his hand slide down under the waistband of her panties so he could feel her skin and she moaned into his mouth, causing the warmth to spread throughout his body, further igniting his desire for her. Then it was his turn to moan – this time in dismay – when she broke their kiss and pushed herself up so she was sitting astride his hips. He kept his eyes closed, beating himself up inside for going that extra step, for taking things too far. Obviously he had misread her signals and although she might enjoy the drink, _Sex on the Beach_ was not on the menu this evening.

"Danny?"

"Yeah?" he asked, trying to keep the disappointment from his voice. He knew Lindsay loved him, desired him. If she wasn't comfortable, he had no right to sulk.

"Have you ever been skinny dipping?"

Danny's eyebrows shot up and he opened his eyes to see his wife staring down at him, her bottom lip caught coquettishly between her teeth.

"Uh… not recently, no."

"I've never been," Lindsay confessed to him in a breathless whisper.

"Oh?"

She peaked at him coyly through lowered lashes, her hands moving behind her back to undo the sash around her waist. "I always wanted to though." In the pale glow of the night sky, he could see the mischievous little smile on her lips as she moved on to the bow at the base of her neck that held up the halter top of her dress. "I just never had the chance before."

"Um…" Danny's mouth suddenly went very dry. Was his wife really suggesting… but she hated the ocean.

Didn't she?

His mind when back to earlier that afternoon, after Lindsay had dumped him in the drink. She'd acknowledged her fears, but had allowed him to take her deeper in the water with him.

_Just don't let go of me._

"I won't let go of you, baby," he vowed.

"I know you won't," she replied. With a smile, Lindsay bared her breasts for him. In the moonlight her nipples appeared darker against her breasts which were still milky white; not yet kissed with a golden glow from the sun. "I trust you, Danny."

With that she pushed herself to her feet, her dress pooling around her ankles. She wiggled out of her panties and then turned, shooting an alluring smile at him over her shoulder before she began to walk down the beach to where ocean met sand.

It was a moment before Danny's brain had fully processed what was going on. But once his wife's intentions had registered, he was on his feet, quickly following in her footsteps leaving a trail of clothing in his wake. His boxers were the last to go and he kicked them aside before joining the solitary figure standing ankle-deep in the water. He came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist, pressing his body against hers and letting her feel the evidence of his growing desire.

"You sure?" he asked, wanting to be certain that this was what she really wanted. Lindsay responded by turning in his embrace and drawing him into a kiss that made his heart race and his groin burn with longing. He held her tightly and lifted her up off the ground. She wrapped her legs around his hips as he began to walk out into the water, feeling it lapping against his shins, then his knees, his thighs. He was somewhat surprised; the water was warmer than he'd anticipated, although he couldn't suppress the groan that escaped his lips when the water crept up between his legs and engulfed his balls.

"You okay?" Lindsay murmured against his lips.

"Yeah. It's just a little chillier than my boys would like," Danny answered, earning a chuckle from his wife. He continued to wade forward in the water until it came up to his ribs. Feeling the weight of Lindsay's body lessened by her buoyancy in the water, Danny slid his hands down to cup her backside once again.

"Mmm… put me down, Danny," Lindsay instructed.

"I don't know," Danny teased, massaging her cheeks with his fingers and feeling her thighs tighten around his hips, her warm centre in such contrast to the cool water against his stomach. "I kinda like you like this."

Lindsay smiled at him and stroked his cheek. "Put me down."

At her insistence, Danny acquiesced, slowly and carefully lowering her until she found her footing, ensuring that she was closer to the shore while his back faced the open ocean. One of Lindsay's hands tangled in his hair and she lifted herself up onto her tiptoes to kiss him, while the other slid down his chest, over his abs until her fingers closed around his cock and she began to stroke him, her movements slow and firm. The warmth of her hand and the feeling of her fingers massaging his scalp soon had him throbbing for her, heedless of the slight chill of the water.

His hands roamed over her body and he could feel goosebumps forming on her skin. Whether from the temperature of the water or from her arousal, he wasn't sure. Her nipples, tight and hard, pressed against his chest and he let his fingers drift between her thighs, exploring the feeling of her folds and the tiny nub of her clit. Lindsay moaned into his mouth, her fingers gripping his hair and cock more tightly as he inserted a finger into her opening. In unison, they began to rock against one another; Lindsay drawing Danny's finger deeper within her and Danny pressing himself further into her delicate hand. Breaking their kiss, Danny lowered his face to her breasts, kissing the valley between them before he closed his mouth over one of her nipples, rolling it between his lips and tugging gently with his teeth, eliciting a gasp of pleasure from his wife. He turned his attention to her other breast, giving it the same loving treatment while her hand worked faster on his cock, driving him wild with lust for her soft, beautiful body.

"Oh, God… Danny, that feels so good. So good," she panted.

"What do you want, baby?" Danny murmured against her breast. His tongue laved at her nipple and he felt her core tighten around his finger. "Tell me, Lindsay. Do you want me inside you?"

Getting no verbal response from his wife, Danny glanced up at her face. Her lower lip was once again caught between her teeth and she let out a little whimper before her core began to flutter and he felt the hand on the back of his head guiding him back to her breasts. He sucked and kissed her delicate mounds, her nipples swollen and tight in his mouth.

Lindsay's fingers squeezed him tightly and he moaned against her skin. Hearing her rapid, gasping breaths, he added a second finger to her core and she began to chant softly to herself, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod!" she panted, her inner walls tightening and releasing around his fingers over and over again as her orgasm over took her. "Ohmygod, Danny! Yes! Please… more!"

Heeding her request, Danny pressed his thumb to her clit, flicking it while he continued to pump his fingers until she shuddered and tightened, climaxing a second time. Then her body when limp and she collapsed – exhausted – against his chest.

Withdrawing his hand from between her thighs, Danny wrapped her in arms and pressed loving kisses to the crown of her head while she brought her shaking hands to rest on his waist.

"Oh, Danny. That was amazing," she whispered when she finally found her voice. She nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder and her arms wound around him, skimming up and down his back. "Did you come?" she asked.

Danny didn't respond, continuing to hold her close and burying his face in her hair, inhaling the delicate aroma of her shampoo and perfume.

"Danny?" she asked again, pulling back and looking up at him. "Did you?"

He smiled down at her. "It's okay, babe," he said, pressing a kiss to the tip of her nose. "I think you came enough for the both of us."

Her brown eyes filled with guilt. "I'm so sorry," she said, her brows creasing together in a frown. She lowered her head and he felt her shoulders slump. "It just felt so good I didn't want you to stop. I'm so sorry."

"Hey, stop that right now," Danny said softly, pinching her chin between his thumb and index finger and tilting her face up to his. "I said it's fine, sweetheart. We're not both going to come every single time we make love."

"No, but… I didn't want…" He could see her emotions rising to the surface – faster and stronger than they would have had there not been a tiny life growing in her belly, he noted - and he gently stroked her cheek, hating to see her upset.

"Lindsay, please don't do this," he said. "I'm not disappointed."

"You're just saying that," she accused almost on the verge of tears.

Danny shook his head and smiled. "I'm really not," he assured. "Do you have any idea how much I love knowing that I brought you that much pleasure? And that you trusted me enough to come out into the water so that I could share this with you? It was so special, Lindsay. Please don't take that away from me."

She buried her face in his chest and tightened her arms around him. "I love you," she mumbled.

"I know you do, baby. I love you too."

They held each other quietly for a few moments longer, the only sound the gentle lapping of the water against their bodies. Finally, Danny pressed a kiss to Lindsay's cheek before swinging her up into his arms and carrying her back to the beach. He made a beeline for their towels, placing her feet down on one of them. He picked up the other and shook off the loose sand before wrapping it around Lindsay's body and gently drying her off.

"I can do it," she protested. Danny smiled at her and pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"I know you can," he said. "I'm just trying to help."

She raised her hand to his cheek and stroked her thumb over the scruff of his beard. "Go get your clothes. I'll be fine."

Sensing that she wanted a moment alone to collect herself, Danny nodded his head. Then he turned, following the path of his discarded clothing that lead back down to the water, picking them up as he went. He had his jeans, shirt, socks, shoes and his wifebeater, and he had just located his boxers sitting on the damp sand right on the edge of the water. He realized that the tide must have come in while they had been out and he had kicked off his boxers too close to the shoreline. A small wave washed over them and he sighed as he bent down to pick them up.

As he straightened up, a small hand came to rest on the swell of his backside and he turned to see Lindsay – fully dressed and holding both of their towels.

Without a word, she wrapped a towel around his back and began to dry him off. Then she took his wifebeater and looped it over his head. While he slid his arms into the armholes, she knelt in front of him and held his pants open, waiting for him to step into them, which he did. She pulled them up his legs and fastened the button and fly before buckling his belt.

When she was done, Lindsay leaned into him, pulling him into a tight hug.

"Thank you for tonight, Danny," she said quietly. "It really was special. It was so romantic and wonderful. And I love you so much."

"I never doubted that for a second, Lindsay," Danny assured her. He cupped her face in his hands and rubbed his nose affectionately against hers. "You ready to go back?" he asked.

She smiled and nodded her head. "I am."

Danny took his shirt and held it out in front of him, offering it to his wife. She turned and slid her arms into his sleeves and he turned her, his fingers moving to fasten the buttons. Then he took the towels and slung them over his shoulder. He picked up his underwear and wrung them out as best he could before shoving them into his pocket, wiggling his eyebrows playfully in Lindsay's direction.

"Guess I'm going commando," he said, earning himself a soft giggle.

Then he picked up his shoes in one hand and wrapped his other arm around Lindsay's shoulders, pulling her tightly into his side. Her arm slid around his waist and she raised her other hand to where Danny's was resting on her shoulder, lacing her fingers in with his and giving them a squeeze as they began the long trek back to the hotel with nothing but the shimmering lights from the sky to illuminate their path.

* * *

**A quick note on this chapter:**

****Just in case you ****didn't catch the reference, the title of this chapter comes from the children's rhyme _Star Light, Star Bright_:**

_**Star light, star bright**_

_**First star I see tonight**_

_**I wish I may**_

_**I wish I might**_

_**Have the wish I wish tonight**_

**I thought it was kind of sweet and playful, kind of like Danny and Lindsay's stargazing experience.**

**Okay, so maybe there was more than a teensy, weensy bit of smut in here, but hey. You guys should expect that when you're reading this story. It's way to easy for me to get carried away. ;)**

**Please leave a quick review if you feel like sharing your thoughts. And don't feel too bad for poor old Danny. I have a sneaking suspicion that he won't be going unsatisfied for too long.**

**Mwa ha ha!**

***rhymes***


	54. All For One and One For All

**A/N: Well, here we are with yet another chapter! I think I should go on vacation more often… someone have a word with my boss, okay? If enough people pester him, maybe I can go on permanent leave and spend all my time writing!**

***Scoffs* As if. But a girl can dream, right?**

**Anyway… I'm glad you guys liked the last installment. Thanks to _laurzz, mckenzie, CTI-Jenn, CraftyGirl11, Ditto123, brendanakai, IzziCreo_ and _MesserFamilyFan100_ for your kind reviews. :)**

**This chapter picks up where we left off… and as promised, Lindsay has some special plans for Danny. Plus a little fluff is thrown in for good measure. 'Cause, you know. I can't resist. ;)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"Jesus Christ," Danny panted as they neared the grounds of their hotel. "Remind me; whose brilliant idea was it to go hiking half way to nowhere in the middle of the night?"

Lindsay chuckled and let her hand slide down from the small of his back, tucking her fingers into the back pocket of his jeans. "I believe that would be your idea, Mr. Messer," she teased.

Danny scoffed and flashed her a grin. "Yeah, well next time I have a stroke of genius like that, feel free to smack me. God, I'm beat. We must have walked at least two miles!"

"Uh huh. And it was uphill both ways. In the snow," Lindsay laughed, giving his backside a playful pinch. "Don't be such a baby. You had a good time, didn't you?"

Danny's smile softened and he leaned in pressing a kiss to her temple. "Yeah. Yeah I did."

They reached the hotel's front doors and Danny reached out, holding it open for Lindsay to go through first, then followed her, taking her hand in his as they crossed the now deserted lobby. They nodded at the lone night attendant behind the front desk.

"Good night, sir. Ma'am," the attendant called out, a knowing smirk on his face at their rather sandy and unkempt appearance. "Sleep well."

"Thanks," Lindsay replied. Reaching for the button to call the elevator, she grinned at Danny. "I think we've been busted," she giggled.

"Ya think?" Danny said, a lopsided grin on his face. They stepped into the empty elevator and Danny pushed the button for their floor. Then he leaned back against the wall as they began their slow ascent. "God… I need a shower. I shouldn't have tossed my jeans on the beach like that. I got sand in places sand ain't got no business being."

Lindsay smiled and leaned against his chest, wrapping her arms around him and pressing a kiss to his chin. "You want some help in that shower?" she offered magnanimously.

Danny laughed. "Better not. I actually need to get cleaned up, and if you come in with me…" He bent his head to nibble at her ear, "… I'll just be thinkin' dirty, dirty thoughts."

The rough timbre of his voice sent a shiver down Lindsay's spine and she tightened her hold on him, her fingers clutching at the fabric of his wifebeater, now damp from the sweat of their long walk.

"But Danny, I want to," she whispered. "I can't… I don't want to go to bed leaving you so unsatisfied. Let me help you."

"Whoa, whoa," Danny said, pulling back and meeting her gaze, his blue eyes flashing. "What makes you think that anything about tonight was unsatisfying for me?" he asked, tenderly stroking her cheek with the back of his finger. "Baby, tonight was amazing. And I already told you, just because I didn't come doesn't mean that I didn't thoroughly enjoy myself."

Lindsay bit her lip, gnawing uncertainly on the delicate skin between her teeth. Despite his reassurances, she felt bad. She'd felt his arousal and desire for her against her body, in her hand. But the things he'd been doing to her, the way he had touched her, had made her mind go blank and all she could feel were the explosions of heat erupting from within her body. Tears sparked in her eyes and she hid her face in Danny's chest, hoping that he wouldn't see them. Since they'd arrived from New York five days ago, it seemed that Danny had been going out of his way to spoil her; from the way he'd tenderly taken care of her when she'd been struck by a sudden bout of nausea to treating her to an afternoon of pampering at the spa. And now this. It was too much and Lindsay felt selfish, taking from him without giving anything back.

The entire walk back to the hotel she'd been trying to find a way to talk to him without hurting his feelings. She knew that he wasn't necessarily a man comfortable with grand, romantic gestures, preferring instead to do little things to show his love for her. But she wanted this to be a two-way street; it wasn't that she felt she had to catch up, or that she wanted to reduce their relationship to a game of tit-for-tat, only giving when the other had given first. But she loved her husband, and the one thing she had really done for him during their time away from New York – that special little spa treatment she'd gotten as a way to seduce and entice him – he'd not even gotten to enjoy.

Granted, Lindsay knew that when he finally did take advantage of his gift, she'd get something out of it as well. But whatever happened tonight, she'd make sure that this time… this time he wasn't leaving the bed until she was certain that she had rocked his world, bringing him to the brink of pleasure and ensuring that he was good and satisfied.

"Hey. What's wrong?" Danny asked, concern evident in his voice. His hands rubbed soothingly up and down her back. "Come on, baby. Talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you."

Sniffling, Lindsay lifted her face to look up at him, offering a small smile. "I love you, Danny. I don't know if you have any idea how much. Tonight… you just make me feel so special."

A bashful smile spread across his face, and she could see a blush rising on his cheeks. "Well… I have my moments," he said humbly.

Lindsay laughed, wiping at her eyes. "You really, really do," she affirmed. Pushing herself up on her toes, she pressed her lips against his, lightly skimming her tongue along the seam of his lips until he parted them, letting her into his mouth. He moaned softly in the back of his throat as the heat of the kiss intensified.

A low, rumbling gurgle from Lindsay's stomach echoed loudly in the elevator and she broke away, blushing furiously.

"Whoa, babe. A little hungry, are we?" Danny teased. "All those nutritious s'mores not enough for you?"

Lindsay buried her face in Danny's chest, shrugging her shoulders and Danny chuckled. "Alright. I'll make you something when we get inside."

The elevator dinged and the doors slid open. They stepped out onto their floor hand in hand, walking down the corridor to their room. Danny retrieved the keycard from his pocket, swiping it through the card reader and waiting for the beep before he pushed on the door, ushering Lindsay in ahead of him. "Why don't you get into your PJs?" he said, dropping his shoes on the floor by the door and wiping his sandy feet on the carpet. "Whadya want to eat?"

Lindsay shrugged. "Toast," she said after some thought. "And cheese. Do we have any tuna? And pickles."

Danny stared blankly back at her and shook his head. "Yeah, you know that doctor's appointment we got booked for when we get back to the city?" he asked, a smirk spreading on his face. "I don't think we need it. You are definitely pregnant."

Lindsay smiled, peeling off the shirt Danny had lent her down at the beach to help ward of the chilly nighttime breeze and dropping down into one of the chairs at the small kitchen table. "And suddenly you're the expert?" she asked, one eyebrow arched.

"Yeah, I am," Danny said, turning to the tiny kitchenette and getting out the ingredients for Lindsay's late-night snack.

"Oh really. And why is that?"

"Because," he said, plugging in the toaster and dropping in two slices of thick crusty bread, "That is the exact meal you asked me to make for you after you told me you were pregnant with Lucy."

Lindsay was shocked. Apparently Danny had expected some kind of response from her, because he turned from his task, a concerned expression on his face. "Babe? You alright?"

"Y-you remember that?" she asked quietly. "_I_ don't even remember that."

Danny shrugged his shoulders. "I remember everything about that day as clear as if it happened yesterday," he said, leaning back against the counter and crossing his arms over his chest. "That was the day that my entire life changed. For the better," he added quickly. "I think that was the day I really grew up. When you told me that… well, that you didn't really expect anything from me, it hurt. But…" He paused, staring at a random spot on the floor, his mouth turned down in a frown. "But I realized that all the plans I'd made for us in my head… I'd never actually talked to you about them. And when I really thought about it, I could understand what you meant. It was my wake up call, Linds; that I had to stop living my life just for me and start living it for us." He looked up and met her gaze, his eyes full of love and affection. "So this –" he gestured to the ingredients laid out on the counter, "- I remember it perfectly. It's like… I kind of felt like it was the first meal I made for you as the man you were gonna spend the rest of your life with."

The kitchen was silent for a few moments as Lindsay digested this information. She'd never known. She had been so wrapped up in her own misery of morning sickness and hormones and the fear of how Danny would respond to her pregnancy that she'd never actually stopped to consider how the news had actually affected him. Of course she'd noticed a definite change in him after that day; he'd become more attentive, more willing to talk to her about their feelings and their future together. She'd never really thought about it before, but looking back, she realized that he really had matured that day. He'd gone from being the man she loved to the man she could see herself loving forever.

"Here ya go," Danny said, interrupting her musings. "Eat up."

Lindsay blinked then looked down at the plate Danny had set in front of her. She gave him a tentative smile. "Thank you," she said.

"No problem babe," he said with a wink as he took a seat in the chair next to hers. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and his chin in his palms. "I love you Linds."

She smiled. "I know you do, honey," she said. She leaned for ward and pecked him on the cheek. "I love you too."

* * *

"Nah, come on Linds! Don't!" Danny protested playfully as Lindsay tried to kiss him. "Come on, you got tuna breath. That's gross!"

"Well then here," Lindsay said, grabbing the last morsel of toast with tuna and cheese on it from her plate. "I'm full. I can't eat this. You have it and then you'll have tuna breath too."

Danny narrowed his eyes at her, but opened his mouth, allowing her to pop the toast into his mouth. He grimaced as he chewed and swallowed. 'Gah. I hate tuna."

"Yeah well, now you can kiss me without complaining," Lindsay said, pursing her lips. Danny rolled his eyes, but dutifully pressed his lips to hers. "There. You happy now?"

Lindsay grinned mischievously, wiping her mouth on her napkin. She pushed herself up from her chair, placing her hands on Danny's shoulders to steady herself as she straddled his lap.

"Now I'm happy," she purred, leaning in to kiss his neck.

Danny groaned. "Come on, Linds. It's like 2:30 in the morning. Aren't you just a little bit tired?"

Pulling back, Lindsay smiled coyly at her husband and shook her head. "No. I'm still craving _something_," she said, walking her fingers down Danny's chest until she came to his belt buckle. "And it's not food."

"Oh my God," Danny sighed. "First you're hungry, then you're horny. Yeah. You're pregnant alright."

"Yes, we've established that," Lindsay replied, beginning to unbuckle his belt. "So… what are you gonna do about it?'

Danny chuckled, leaning in to kiss her neck, his hands sliding slowly and tantalizingly up and down her thighs. "And you say that I'm insatiable," he murmured in her ear.

"You are," Lindsay declared, "You can't get enough of me."

"Mmm… you're right about that," he replied, kissing his way down her throat and pausing to nuzzle against her collar bone. "God, you're so beautiful. So sexy, Linds."

"What do you want, baby?" Lindsay asked, cupping his face in his hands and bringing his gaze up to meet hers. "Anything you want, Danny. Tell me."

He blushed, giving her a crooked smile. "I, uh… I've been thinking about um… about that thing you got done…"

She smiled. "You wanna check out the present I got you, is that it?" He nodded his head. "Well then… your wish is my command, cowboy," Lindsay replied. She untangled herself from her husband, getting to her feet. She turned and slowly began to walk toward the bedroom, pausing in the doorway to cast an alluring glance over her shoulder. "Are you coming? Or do I have to get started without you?"

She squealed as Danny got to his feet, chasing her into the bedroom. He caught her around her waist, turning her around and crashing his mouth against hers in a kiss that almost made her toes curl. She moaned as she clutched at him, her hands gripping handfuls of his shirt. He began to walk her backward until she felt the backs of her knees against the bed.

Danny broke their kiss, his blue eyes alight with desire. "Lie down on the bed," he said, loosening his grip on her and taking a step back. Lindsay raised her hands undo the ties holding up her dress, but Danny stopped her. "No. Leave the dress on."

"L-leave it on?" she asked.

He winked at her. "Trust me."

Her insides fluttering, Lindsay knelt on the bed, crawling up the mattress and rolling onto her back so that she was lying with her head on the pillows. Danny pulled off his wifebeater, dropping it to the floor at his feet. Then he joined her on the bed, crawling slowly up her body, kissing his way up the bodice of her dress, her collar bone, her neck.

"I've been looking forward to this, baby," he whispered against her lips before he kissed her, slow and sensual. All too soon, his lips left hers and he was on the move, sliding back down her body until he was level with her belly. He skimmed his fingers up her legs, lifting her skirt to reveal her thighs, panties and stomach. He began to press gentle, loving kisses to her belly while his hands worked to free her from her panties.

He peeled the garment from her legs and tossed them aside. Then he cast a devious glance up at her before he grabbed the hem of her dress, pulling it over his head and disappearing from her view.

"Baby, no!" Lindsay protested, trying to tug her skirt from his grip. "No, I want to see you!"

Danny chuckled wickedly. "Nah. I don't think so."

She could feel his breath against her thighs now, hot and warm. The bristles from his scruffy beard tickled her skin and left her tingling with anticipation for what was to come.

"Baby, please…" she begged as he continued to torment her, hovering just a hair's breadth from fulfilling her aching need.

"Mmm… so sexy," Danny murmured from beneath the fabric of her dress. "So fucking sexy, Linds."

Lindsay bit her lip to hold back the moan of pleasure as his lips finally touched her. Gentle kisses explored the newly revealed skin that was usually covered by her curls. Something warm and hot – his tongue – laved at the sensitive skin and Lindsay gripped fistfuls of the comforter beneath her to keep herself from squirming on the bed.

Firm but gentle hands took hold of her legs, spreading them wide enough to allow him to settle between them. Fingers stroked her slit before delving deeper. Slowly, more pressure was applied until the pulsating heat building inside of Lindsay was almost overwhelming.

Lindsay let out a cry of dismay when the pressure against her clit suddenly disappeared. She felt a rush of warm air as Danny blew against the sensitive nub and suddenly his mouth enveloped her, kissing and sucking while his finger moved lower, slowly and carefully probing her centre, going just a little deeper each time.

"Oh, God..." Lindsay panted. "God, please! Please, I want to see you!" she gasped.

She both heard and felt Danny chuckle and he pushed himself up, emerging from beneath her skirt with a grin on his face. "Oh, you do, do you?" he asked.

Nodding her head, Lindsay reached down and ran her fingers through his hair. "Please? I love watching you, baby."

"Yeah?"

"Mmm. It's so hot, Danny."

"Well, I can hardly argue with that," he replied. He lowered his head, resuming his former activities but this time without the cover of her skirt over his head. Lindsay's fingers gripped fistfuls of his hair, guiding him and urging him onward. With her other hand, she reached for his, lacing their fingers together and squeezing tightly as she watched him kiss and lave her most intimate area. It was a sight she never tired of and she felt lucky to have a husband who took pleasure in her pleasure. Who loved to love her. But as she felt the fire in her abdomen begin to build, she realized that this was not what she wanted. This was not what she had set out to do tonight.

Summoning all of her willpower, she tugged gently on Danny's hair. "Baby, stop," she panted. "Danny…"

His head snapped up, his eyes wide with concern. "What? What's wrong," he asked, pushing himself up so he was kneeling over her, his hand coming up to stroke her cheek. "You okay?"

Lindsay smiled. "I'm fine," she assured him.

Danny frowned. "You didn't… like it?" he asked, a note of nervousness in his voice.

"Oh, no Danny! No, I loved it," she said, mirroring his action and stroking his face. "It feels so good, baby."

Danny's brow furrowed. "Um… okay. So… what's up?"

Lindsay blushed. "I could feel… I was going to come," she whispered.

"And… that's a bad thing?" Danny asked, his head cocked to one side in confusion. "Um. Okay. So… should I try to make it _not_ feel so good?"

Lindsay laughed. "No."

Danny let out an exasperated sigh. "Okay, I'm sorry Lindsay. I don't get it. What… what do you want me to do?"

Letting her hands slide down his chest, Lindsay grabbed hold of the waist of his jeans and began to undo his button and fly. "I just didn't want to come without you," she explained, sliding her hands around his back and beginning to push his jeans down over his backside. Danny's expression changed instantly from one of concern and frustration to one of amusement followed quickly by lust as Lindsay's fingers gripped the flesh of his backside, pulling his hips flush with hers and starting to undulate her body against his.

"Oh, Linds," he murmured, lowering his face to kiss her. "Please… don't tease me. I don't know if I could take it right now."

"I'm not teasing, Danny," Lindsay assured him. "I want to make love to you. So get your pants off and lie down on the bed."

A lopsided smile formed on Danny's face and he leaned down to kiss her once more before carefully rolling off of her. He kicked off his jeans while Lindsay sat up and similarly discarded her dress. She waited until he had lain down on the covers, then she crawled up his body has he had done hers not so long ago, kissing and nipping her way up his chest while one hand closed around his cock. She could feel the evidence of his desire for her becoming more and more prominent and her insides began to tingle in anticipation.

"Linds… baby please," Danny pleaded, his hands gently exploring her body as he writhed beneath her. "You're killing me. I'm not gonna… Jesus. I'm not gonna last!"

Smiling down at her husband, Lindsay pushed herself up, her knees spread on either side of his hips as she straddled him. She continued to stroke him, guiding him to her aching core and plunged herself down onto him, quickly taking in his full length.

"Oh, God! Jesus! Lindsay!" Danny moaned as she immediately began to rock her hips against his. "Shit, baby. Oh my God… slow down!"

"No," Lindsay panted, breathless as she increased her pace. She leaned forward, her hands resting on either side of Danny's head. She brushed her lips against his and he nipped at her, trying to pull her in for a kiss. "No, baby. Because I'm so close, Danny. And if I'm coming, you're coming with me." She ran her tongue over his lips and he grunted, grabbing her hips and beginning to meet her pace, thrust for thrust. "That's it, baby. Don't hold back. Come on, Danny. I want to feel you. I love you so much."

"Jesus…" Danny gasped. "Oh, Jesus. Shit. I'm gonna… Fuck! Lindsay…"

She could feel his fingers digging into her hips and his body was practically vibrating as he struggled to maintain his control. Lindsay let out a whimper as her inner coil began to unravel and her core tightened. "Danny… oh God…"

As her muscles started to contract around him, she lowered her face to press hot, open mouthed kisses to Danny's jaw, frantically making her way to his lips while her body tensed and released, squeezing his length and earning a lusty groan from her husband as he neared his climax, her actions finally bringing him to the edge just as she was about to topple over herself.

She slid her fingers into his hair and angled her head, capturing his mouth in a deep, sensual kiss, their bodies still moving together until she felt Danny tense beneath her, felt his hands tighten against her flesh and he moaned, low and deep against her lips. His body arched as he tumbled into oblivion, Lindsay following close behind.

As they came down from their mutual highs, their kiss softened - no longer filled with desperate need, but with tender affection. Danny's hands lovingly skimmed up and down her back and Lindsay's fingers sifted gently through his hair.

Finally, they broke apart, and Lindsay rested her forehead against Danny's, smiling down at him. "Hey," she whispered.

"Hey yourself," Danny replied. He sighed contentedly and raised one hand to stroke her cheek and tuck a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. "You know, if you were aiming for satisfactory, I think you overshot the mark, babe. That was… incredible."

Lindsay blushed. "Yeah?"

"Mmm… you're incredible. I love you so much."

She smiled and rubbed her nose against his. "Love you too," she affirmed before she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. She pushed herself up and climbed off her husband, rolling onto the bed and curling herself into his side. "God… I'm exhausted."

Danny chuckled, his fingers trailing slowly up and down her arm. "Me too," he murmured. She glanced up at his face just in time to see his eyes close. Snuggling back down against him, Lindsay nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder. She felt the gentle rise and fall of his chest and soon he was snoring softly. A smile graced her face as she finally allowed her own eyes to close, falling into blissful slumber right behind him.

* * *

**So, that was for those of you who have been gently reminding me (read: _poking me repeatedly with sharp sticks_) that Danny had yet to "enjoy" Lindsay's little surprise for him. I hope it didn't disappoint.**

**More to come, so stay tuned! Although I have to get back to my _real_ job in Tuesday, so updates will probably be a little fewer and farther between. :(**

***rhymes***


	55. The Morning After the Night Before

**A/N: Hello all! I hope you haven't been waiting too impatiently for this update. Life is definitely back to normal again, which means all work and no play for rhymes. But I have found a few moments over the past week to write, and I am pleased to present to you another chapter!**

**I'm glad to see that while my updates have been fewer and farther between over these past few months, there are still readers out there enjoying and looking forward to more from this story. You guys are so wonderful, and I need to continue to shower you with gratitude for your encouragement! Thanks so much to _DL Fan, bookworm, Alex Joleta, CTI-Jenn, MesserFamilyFan100, Guest, Laurzz_, and _123montana321_ for your reviews. High fives all around!**

**Anyway, here we pick up the morning after the night before… if that makes sense. In my head it does, so we'll go with it, shall we? We shall! **

**Enjoy :)**

* * *

"Mmm…" Lindsay sighed contentedly as she stretched, her limbs humming with that pleasant morning after ache; a reminder of the intense pleasure she had experienced the night before, the way her body had reacted to Danny's passionate touches. She rolled onto her side, letting her eyes fall upon the man who had caused the satisfying tingle that still lingered in her muscles even now, hours later. He was laying on his back, one arm flung up over his face, the other dangling loosely over the edge of the bed, his breathing deep and even, indicating that he was still enveloped in the depths of sleep.

She reached out and gently stroked a finger down the shallow valley of his sternum, continuing on down his stomach. She circled his belly button, smiling as the muscles in his stomach jumped and flexed and he grunted in his sleep. Splaying her hands out over his stomach, she slowly began to slide back up his body, branching off at his chest, moving to follow the lines of his Pecs. She felt his muscles tense and he moaned softly and Lindsay shuffled closer so that she could press her lips to his ear.

"Come on, sleepyhead," she whispered. "Wake up, baby."

Her fingers now sifted through the fine hairs on his chest, toying with his dogtags. He lifted the arm from his face, scrubbing his eyes with his fists before he turned his head and cast a sleepy smile in her direction.

"What time is it?" he mumbled, sliding his arm around Lindsay's shoulders and pulling her close to press a kiss to her forehead.

"Almost ten," she replied. She grinned up at Danny as his eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Seriously?" he asked and she nodded. "Wow. Almost double digits?" He chuckled. "Do you even remember the last time we slept in this late?"

"Together?" she mused, leaning in and nestling down against his shoulder, her arms hugging him tightly to her. "I don't know if we ever have. At least not since Lucy came along."

"Mmm," Danny murmured, his eyes drooping closed once again. "Listen to how quiet it is. No little voice begging for food or attention. No crying because she can't find her bear. No giggling at whatever random thing has caught her attention..."

"If feels weird, doesn't it?" Lindsay sighed.

"Yeah," Danny agreed, echoing her sigh. They lay listening to the uncustomary silence for a few moments. "So? Whadya wanna do?" he asked, rubbing her arm. "Should we take advantage of this singular chance to get a little extra shut eye? Or we could… you know." He wiggled his eyebrows playfully and Lindsay giggled. "Or we could see what Lucy and my folks are up to. She's probably had them awake for hours by now."

Lindsay lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest. "Will you be mad if I say I want to see Lucy?"

"Nah," he replied with a grin. "I kinda miss the little squirt too."

Lindsay smiled and leaned toward him, pressing a kiss to his lips. "Love you."

"Yeah. I know," Danny replied, somewhat immodestly. He burst out laughing at the censorious look Lindsay gave him. He pulled her close, kissing her while carefully rolling them over so she was beneath him. He broke their kiss and gazed down at her, one hand raised to gently stroke her cheek. "I'm crazy about you, babe," he said, his voice low and gruff and filled with sincerity. "Head over heels, in fact."

A lovely blush crept across Lindsay's face and he bent his head to gently kiss the apples of her cheeks before pecking her once more on the lips. "Now," he began, smiling as Lindsay's hands skimmed softly up and down his back, "I think it's probably time I fed you, huh?" He grinned as her blush deepened, remembering the embarrassing rumble of her stomach the night before. "What do you want for breakfast?"

She shrugged and let her fingers continue to explore the length of his spine. She looked up at him through lowered lashes, her hands skimming lower until her fingers curled into the flesh of his backside. "Suddenly I'm not all that hungry actually," she replied.

"No?" Danny asked, one eyebrow raised. He closed his eyes and let out a throaty groan as Lindsay's fingernails bit into his skin. "Shit," he breathed. "God dammit. Why do you have to be so fuckin' sexy?"

Lindsay giggled, but was quickly silenced as Danny's lips pressed against hers, a sense of urgency rising between them. After some gentle touching and playful foreplay, Danny joined them intimately once more, their bodies heaving in unison, writhing in mutual bliss as he filled her over and over again at an agonizingly languid pace. His mouth claimed hers possessively and she moaned as he delved deeper, her insides tightening until finally she came undone, sparks flying between them, Danny spilling within her mere moments later.

"Oh… oh, Danny," she breathed, stroking his face lovingly as she came down from her high. "Baby, you are so amazing."

"Right back at ya, sweetheart," he replied breathlessly. He kissed her again before he pushed himself up on his forearms, rolling onto the bed beside her. They lay there, both of them gasping for air. Lindsay reached for Danny's hand, lacing her fingers with his and giving them a squeeze.

"You know," Lindsay mused once she had regained her composure, "If we weren't sure I was already pregnant, I think that last night and this morning… that would have definitely done it."

Danny turned his head and grinned at her. "Oh, yeah?"

"Mmm," she murmured appreciatively. "Yeah. That was quite the night, baby. You loved me good and proper." She closed her eyes and sighed dreamily as she thought back... Danny taking her roughly against the wall just there on the other side of the room, his fingers working miracles within her – twice - down at the beach, her riding him hard last night and their gentle lovemaking only moments earlier. "I think we set a new record… I had at least five orgasms in less than 24 hours." She turned to him, a wide smile on her face as she tapped his chin with the tip of his finger. "You've set a dangerous new precedent, cowboy; raising my expectations like that."

Danny chuckled, ending with a snort of amusement. "Yeah, well… I'm not as young as I used to be, babe," he demurred. "But it's good to know I still got it."

He winked cheekily at her and Lindsay giggled. "Breakfast?" she asked, her stomach reminding her that it was long past her usual morning meal time.

Danny nodded. "You betcha. I'm starvin'!"

He sat up, swinging his legs over the side of the bed and getting to his feet. Lindsay watched as he raised his arms over his head, letting out a loud, satisfied groan as he stretched. Unable to stop herself, she rolled onto his side of the bed, reaching out to pinch his perfect, round backside.

"Ow! What was that for?" he asked, turning to face her. She grinned up at him, her fingers tracing along the lines of his sculpted abs.

"What?" she asked, fluttering her eyelashes innocently.

"Brat," he chuckled. He bent and placed a kiss to the crown of her head. "I'm gonna put the coffee on. I think I saw some decaf out there. You want some?"

"Yes please," Lindsay replied. She knew that caffeine was pretty much out of the question, but she was eager for the strong and bracing taste of coffee.

"Alright," Danny said, rounding the bed and heading to the door, not bothering to clothe himself when it was just the two of them in the suite. "Then we'll shower, get some food and pick up Lucy."

"Sounds good," she agreed. She stretched out on the bed, savouring the delicious suppleness of her post-lovemaking muscles. Sitting up, she gathered their love-rumpled sheet around her body. She shuffled to the edge of the bed and got to her feet, making her way to the bathroom. She closed the door, letting the sheets drop to the floor at her feet while she relieved herself and proceeded with her morning ablutions; washing her face, brushing her teeth. Over the rush of the water in the sink, she thought she could hear Danny's voice and she assumed he was calling his mother to enquire about making arrangements to pick up their daughter. Turning off the faucet, she dried her face and ran her fingers through her hair, laughing at the way her curls – so artfully framing her face the night before – were now a wild tangle thanks to their night-time activities. She smiled at her reflection before bending and gathering the sheets once more. Pulling open the door, she stopped in her tracks, her eyes wide as she took in the scene before her.

* * *

"Uh-oh," Lucy said, her little brows furrowed as she looked down at her shirt. "Nona, uh-oh!"

Maria Messer looked up from her meal, shaking her head and clucking her tongue as she noticed the orange stain that was spreading across the front of Lucy's top.

"Oh dear!" she said, taking the sippy cup from her granddaughter, noting that the lid hadn't been on properly, hence the orange juice that had leaked out all over Lucy. She grabbed her napkin and began to dab at the mess, all the while reassuring the little girl whose little lip had jutted out. "It's okay, _belissima_," she smiled. "It's only juice."

"Doos!" Lucy parroted. "Dada fickit!"

"Well, Daddy isn't here right now," Maria replied. "So Nona will fix it. How does that sound?"

"Nona fickit!"

Maria's smile widened. "That's right, Lucy. Nona will fix it."

Satisfied that she'd done the best she could for now, she tightened the lid of Lucy's cup and handed it back to her, gently tapping her finger against her beloved baby's button nose.

"Finish your breakfast and we'll get you cleaned up."

"K'een up," Lucy repeated before grabbing a piece of banana from her plate and shoving it into her mouth. "Papa!" she shouted, offering her grandfather a handful of the squishy glop. "Nummy!"

Joe Messer smiled over the rim of his coffee cup. "No thank you, Lucy," he said, steering her little hand back toward her own mouth. She opened her fist and stared transfixed at the goop on her fingers before letting out a loud giggle and grabbing more fruit from her plate.

Maria sighed. "She's got Danny's table manners," she lamented. "He was just like this when he was her age."

"All kids are like this when they're her age, dear," Joe reminded her. "Louie was the same. So was I, if what my mother used to tell me was true. I'm sure that even you – yes _you_, Maria – liked to make a nice mess of your meal when you were younger."

His eyes danced with mischief as his wife of nearly 40 years pursed her lips, narrowing her eyes at the inference that she had ever been anything but neat and tidy. Her expression softened and she smiled at her husband.

"Well, I grew out of it," she replied, "Although I can't say the same for my boys. I still catch Danny eating with his mouth open."

Joe shrugged his shoulders. "He's a grown man, Maria," he said, patting her arm. "You've done all you can do. And if chewing with his mouth open from time to time is the biggest thing you can complain about when it comes to your son… well, I think that says an awful lot about what a good job we did with him."

Maria glanced at Lucy – the spitting image of her father at this age – and a look of intense, motherly pride appeared on Maria's face as she nodded her head. She and Joe had definitely had their hands full, raising two spirited boys in their small home on Staten Island. But she had loved them both unconditionally, despite the many premature grey hairs they'd given her. It always amazed her that although they'd grown up under the same roof - with the same rules, the same unconditional love from their parents – her sons had turned into very different people. One had chosen the path of crime. The other crime stopper. And though there were times that she'd struggled to support some of the choices they'd each made, the love she felt for her boys had never diminished.

That was why it hurt so much when Louie had been cruelly taken before his time. He'd made some bad decisions, but in the end, he had shown his true colours. He was a good man, he loved his little brother; had spent years trying to keep Danny from making the same mistakes as he. But that motivation hadn't been clear to anyone except Louie until it was too late and he was gone.

Losing her son had affected their entire family deeply. Even though he had distanced himself from the rest of his family for several years before his death, just knowing that he was out there somewhere in the wide world had been enough. His absence left a gaping hole inside of Maria that she'd thought would never be filled.

Danny had bent over backwards during that tumultuous time, trying his best to fill the role of two sons to his grieving parents. But try as he might, there was nothing he could do to fix his mother's broken heart.

It was during this time that Maria had first been introduced to Lindsay Monroe.

She'd met the young woman during those long hours sitting at Louie's bedside, but had really not given her much thought, her priorities elsewhere at the time. But as the weeks wore on, Danny talked about her more and more. And then suddenly, he didn't anymore. Any time Maria tried to broach the subject with him, he'd shrug and tell her that they were just friends, his downcast demeanor telling him that 'just friends' was not enough for her son, but it seemed that he didn't have much of a choice. So she dropped the topic, not wanting to upset him.

It was then that he'd practically moved back in with Maria and Joe, looking after them both as best he could during the short intervals of free time he had between shifts at work. She'd felt torn at the time; guilty for keeping him from having any sort of social life, but glad that he was there with them all the same.

Slowly, they'd begun to pull their lives back together. Louie was still notable by his absence, but Maria and Joe had started to come to terms with his death, heaping all of the hopes and dreams they'd had for both their sons onto Danny's shoulders. And to his credit, he hadn't buckled under the immense pressure from his parents. Instead, it appeared to motivate him; to cause him to strive to better himself. At least that was what Maria had thought at the time.

Several months after Louie's passing, Danny had started talking about Lindsay Monroe again and Maria could see that his drive and desire was as much to impress the woman with whom he was clearly besotted as it was to please his parents. Maria recalled her second encounter with Lindsay much more vividly than the first; she didn't think she could ever recall seeing her son so attentive, so affectionate. He'd brought other girls home in the past, of course. But none of them had left the impression that Lindsay had.

She was so different from Danny, appearing very shy and quiet where he was a Messer through and through; loud and expansive with his opinions. But there was something about them together that had seemed so right to Maria, even then in the beginning. Throughout that evening, Lindsay had come out of her shell somewhat, while Danny had respectfully retreated into his, quietly allowing her to steer the conversation, taking the backseat while she glowed in the spotlight – something he rarely did.

From that time on, Lindsay Monroe had started to become a constant fixture in their lives, accompanying Danny whenever he came to visit. She slowly made a place for herself in their hearts, going a long way to fill the void left by Louie. It wasn't that she'd replaced him – Maria had accepted the fact that she would feel the loss of her child until the end of her days – but Lindsay's calming, loving presence went a long way toward filling their lives with hope and happiness once more, providing them with the daughter they'd never known they were missing.

And now, years later, Lindsay Monroe – now Lindsay Messer – had brought into this world Maria's pride and joy, her beloved Lucy. She smiled at the little girl who had finished her breakfast and was now licking the sticky remains of the fruit she'd eaten from her fingers. It was Maria's greatest hope that one day she'd get to hold another grandchild in her arms. Not that Lucy wasn't enough – she absolutely was, Maria thought fondly as she attempted to wipe the little girl's face with a napkin, earning a squeal of protest. But another little life? Another little person to love and cherish and – of course – spoil? What more could she ask for? Her life – once shattered – would be all the more complete.

"You're awfully quiet," Joe mused to his wife as she lifted a relatively clean Lucy from her high chair.

She shrugged. "I'm just thinking," she replied, rubbing her nose affectionately against Lucy's.

"Nothing too serious, I hope," Joe remarked, his tone holding a note of concern for her taciturn behaviour during their meal.

Maria smiled. "Do you think they're trying?" she asked her husband. He frowned, not quite understanding her meaning. "For another baby?"

Joe shuddered. "I actually try not to think about that if I can help it," he teased, earning a roll of the eyes from his wife.

"I didn't mean right at this moment," Maria replied tartly.

Joe grinned. "If they are, it's their business, Maria. It's their decision. It's their family."

"I know," Maria sighed. She affixed a smile to her face, bouncing a giggling Lucy on her knee. "We need to get you cleaned up, _belissima_," she said. "Yes we do! Nona can't give you back to your Mommy and Daddy looking like that, can she? No she can't!"

Joe smiled, watching his wife and granddaughter. It warmed his heart to see Maria so happy again. He raised his hand, flagging down the waitress of the hotel's restaurant to get their bill, advising her to add the charges to their room. Then he stood, gathering some of Lucy's toys they'd brought with them to keep her occupied during the meal.

They headed back to their room and Maria immediately reached for the bag Danny had packed for Lucy the night before, rifling through it with one hand in search of a clean shirt for her to wear. She sighed, realizing that he'd only packed for overnight and not included an extra change of clothes.

"Joe?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Can you please take Lucy for a few minutes?" she asked. "I'm just going to go grab some clean clothes for her."

Joe frowned. "From where?"

Maria reached into her purse, pulling out the keycard Danny had left her. "I'll just be a minute or two," she assured him, heading for the door.

"Maria, don't," Joe urged. "Give them a chance to sleep in a little bit, alright? We'll just put Lucy back in her PJs for a little while."

"Oh I'll be quiet as a mouse!" Maria assured him, slipping out into the hallway. "They'll never know I was there."

Joe sighed, looking down at Lucy. "Nobody ever listens to Papa, did you know that Lucy?" he asked. She grinned up at him before pressing a sloppy kiss to his cheek. A crooked smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and his eyes crinkled in delight at his granddaughter. "Well that's cheating, Lucy. You know Papa is a sucker for a kiss from a pretty girl."

* * *

Stumbling out into the living room of the suite, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes, it took Danny a few moments to realize that something was different. He blinked as he looked around the room. Had someone been… _cleaning_?

The jar of pickles he had left open on the counter the night before after making Lindsay's snack had been resealed and put away, as had the bag of bread from her toast; the end of the bag twisted and tidily tucked under. Lindsay's plate and the utensils he'd used to prepare her meal were neatly washed and stacked in the drying rack on the counter and the table had been wiped clean of crumbs.

His brow furrowed. Had Lindsay gotten up in the middle of the night to clean? God, he hoped not. He was supposed to be taking care of her. And besides, it was too early for that bizarre nesting stage she had gone through when they were expecting Lucy. Speaking of Lucy… he turned in a circle in the centre of the room, his eyes widening at the sight of her Dora the Explorer suitcase; last night he had torn through its contents in his haste to pack her diaper bag for his parents. But now all of her tiny clothes were smartly folded and stacked inside.

Danny sighed and ran his hands over his face. His mother had been in here. For whatever reason, she had been in their suite last night or this morning and she had… God, she had cleaned. He knew it was stupid; he was a grown man – a father and husband! – and yet he couldn't help wanting to prove himself to his mother. The thought of her seeing their place in a state of disarray, to the point where she'd felt that she needed to clean up after them… it was mortifying and a bit humbling.

That was the son in him, the little boy that never stopped striving for his parents' approval. The CSI in him, however, wondered how long ago she'd left and he moved to the sink, touching one of the dishes in the rack. Still warm.

Still hot, actually.

"Fuck," he muttered to himself. The fact that the dish was still hot told him that she had been here very recently. As in, she must have only just left. He felt his stomach twist unpleasantly as he realized what that probably meant. He bowed his head and squeezed his eyes shut, hoping that it wasn't true. That his mother hadn't just been in the next room while he had been having sex with his wife. He tried to remember if either of them had been particularly noisy. Last night, maybe. This morning, thankfully not so much.

His head snapped up as he realized that their lovemaking this morning may not have been particularly loud, but… oh God. They'd talked about Lindsay being pregnant. And they hadn't kept their voices down either. Why should they? As far as they were concerned, there was no one to overhear their conversation. His stomach plummeted to his feet as he realized that there very well may have been, and it was probably the one person who he had wanted to keep this information from the most. He loved his mother; he really did. But she was about as subtle as a bull in a china shop sometimes and he knew that keeping this kind of sensitive information to herself would be a near impossibility.

A sense of panic was rising inside of him, setting him on edge. So when he heard the sound of someone tapping on the window of the sliding glass door, he nearly jumped out of his skin. Placing his hand over his heart and taking gulping breaths in an attempt to calm himself, Danny turned to the source of the noise.

"Jesus Christ! Ma?!"

He stared, disbelieving at his mother waving at him from out on the patio. She pointed at the handle of the door, mouthing words that he couldn't hear through the glass. He took a few steps toward the window… and only then did he realize that he was completely naked. His eyes searched frantically for something with which to cover himself - and fast. Finding nothing suitable within arm's reach, he lowered his hands to his nether region, cupping himself and blushing furiously. He quickly moved to the door, carefully adjusting himself so as to maintain the coverage of his privates as best he could with one hand, while the other flipped the locking mechanism and he yanked open the door.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he bellowed at his mother. "Jesus Christ, Ma! You scared the living shit out of me!"

"_Buon giorno_, Daniel!" she replied, patting his cheek and smiling as if their meeting under these circumstances was the most natural thing in the world. "Watch your language. You're going to teach Lucy bad habits."

"Yeah well, Lucy's not here," Danny retorted through clenched teeth as his mother passed by him into the room. "She's supposed to be with you, which kinda means that you're supposed to be with her. So I'll ask again… what are you doing here?"

Maria shrugged. "I came to get a clean shirt for Lucy. She spilled some orange juice and you didn't pack a spare."

Danny sighed. "Okay. Well, that explains why you're here," he said. "But why… why did you clean? And why the hell were you out on the patio with the door locked?"

"Your shoes," she said, as if that explained everything. Danny raised his eyebrows, needing more of an explanation than that and she rolled her eyes. "They were full of sand, so I took them outside to dust them off and the door locked behind me."

"And the cleaning?"

Maria shrugged her shoulders. "I wanted to do something nice for you two," she explained. "I came in, noticed that things were a little untidy. I thought that it would be a nice surprise for you when you got up to find that everything was already done for you. Was that wrong?"

"No," Danny capitulated, seeing that his mother's intentions had been good. Without thinking, he raised his hands to run his fingers through his hair. "No, Ma. It's fine. It's just… Jesus!" he exclaimed, realizing he'd left himself exposed and clasping his hands back over his groin.

Maria chuckled. "Daniel, I changed your diapers, _caro mio_," she laughed, pinching his chin affectionately. "You don't have anything I haven't seen before."

"Yeah, well I like to think it looks a little different than it did when I was a baby," he grumbled, an intense flush of colour rising on his face. He cast his eyes away from his mother who was still infuriatingly unruffled by the whole situation, only to see Lindsay - wrapped in nothing but a sheet - standing in the bathroom door staring dumbfoundedly at him.

She tried to hold it in, she really did. But the sheer ridiculousness of the scene before her eyes was too much – Danny standing with his hands trying to cover his bits and pieces, his cheeks bright pink while his mother flitted around the room straightening things as she went – and she burst out laughing. Danny glared at her while Maria turned and smiled.

"Good morning Lindsay," she said crossing the room to give her cheek an affectionate pinch. "I hope you had fun last night! I will be out of your hair in only a moment; now where is that shirt I put got out for Lucy?" She glanced around the room with her hands on her hips.

"Um… good morning, Mom," Lindsay managed once she'd swallowed her laughter. She grinned at Danny who appeared as though he wished a crack would open in the floor at his feet and swallow him whole. "Babe… why don't you go put some clothes on?"

He narrowed his eyes at her obvious amusement, shuffling awkwardly toward the bedroom door, keeping his almost-covered front to his mother so as not to expose his bare ass to her. The door snapped closed behind him and Maria looked up from where she had gathered a change of clothes for Lucy. She lay the keycard Danny had given her on the kitchen table before turning to Lindsay.

"I don't know why he's being so shy; he's like his father – absolutely nothing to be ashamed of," she said offhandedly as she crossed the room, heading for the door. "Good genes, you know?" She winked at Lindsay. "You are very welcome, by the way."

With a mischievous grin on her face, Maria Messer quietly let herself out of the suite, leaving a gap-mouthed Lindsay staring after her. It was her turn to blush now and she glanced down at her appearance, realizing that it was painfully obvious what she and Danny had been up to only a short time ago.

The bedroom door opened and Danny emerged dressed in his sweats and a wifebeater. He handed Lindsay one of the plush robes provided by the hotel, but Lindsay shook her head. "No sense in being modest now," she said. "Your mom's gone."

Danny rolled his eyes, chucking the robe over the back of one of the kitchen chairs before dropping down onto the couch and resting his elbows on his knees, his hands scrubbing his face.

"Fuck… that was awkward," he muttered. Lindsay joined him, perching herself on the arm of the couch and placing her hand between his shoulder blades. He sat up and looked at her. "I think she heard us," he announced, his mouth turned down in a frown of distaste. "God… I don't know what's worse… walking in on my folks, or them walking in on us?"

Lindsay chuckled. "Well, she didn't _really_ walk in on us," she reasoned. "And it's not like she saw anything… well," she glanced pointedly at Danny's crotch. "Not anything of mine," she teased. She moved to sit on his lap, her hand lightly touching him through his sweats. "Although I guess you could say that these…" she squeezed him gently, "Belong to me."

Danny huffed, but a crooked smile began to spread across his face. "A little possessive, are we?" he asked wryly, wrapping his arms around his wife and pulling her so she was cradled in his arms. He pressed a kiss to her temple, nuzzling his face into her hair. "You got nothing to worry about there, sweetheart. I'm all yours."

Lindsay smiled, letting herself relax in Danny's strong and comforting embrace. "What was she doing here?" she asked.

He shrugged. "Something about getting a change of clothes for Luce," he said. "But then she saw the state of things in here and figured…" He trailed off, gesturing to their newly tidied surroundings. He let out a sigh. "I think she might have heard us, Linds."

"You already said that," Lindsay replied.

Danny shook his head. "No. Not the sex," he corrected. "The um… our conversation. About, you know, if you weren't pregnant already…" he trailed off, leaving her to fill in the blanks from her memory.

"Shit," Lindsay grimaced. "Did she say something? What do we do?"

Danny's shoulders raised and fell in a helpless shrug. "I don't know," he said. "I guess… I mean, we don't _know_ that she heard anything," he offered uncertainly. "I mean, if she heard us, you know… getting busy… it's probably not like she was standing there with her ear to the door. But… I mean, we weren't whispering, Linds. And this place ain't exactly sound proof."

Lindsay's brow furrowed. "Should we talk to her about it?" she asked, but then shook her head. "But I don't know how we could bring something like that up without giving ourselves away if she _didn't_ hear us."

"I know what you mean," Danny replied thoughtfully. "I guess… I mean we could see if she brings it up?"

"Do you think she would, though?"

"I don't know." He closed his eyes and let out a snort of laughter.

"What? What's funny?" Lindsay asked.

He raised his head and looked up at her, his eyes dancing with mirth. "I can't believe my mom saw me naked. It's just so embarrassing."

Lindsay smiled and cupped his face in her hand. "Your mom said you had nothing to be embarrassed about."

Danny's face scrunched up. "Ew. That's supposed to make me feel better? That's my _mom_!"

Her smile widening, Lindsay plowed on. "She said you looked just like your dad; suddenly I have a newfound respect for your father."

Danny gaped at her and she burst into giggles. "That is the most disgusting thing I have ever heard," Danny grumbled once he'd managed to close his mouth. "And you… you're not allowed anywhere near my dad _ever_ again." He shuddered. "Oh, gross. I just… I feel dirty. I'm gonna have a shower."

He deposited Lindsay on the couch beside him then got to his feet, disappearing into the bathroom, still grumbling to himself. "_Ew_… _so gross_… _nasty_… _Yuck_…"

His disgruntled mutterings were soon drowned out by the sound of running water. Lindsay smiled to herself, getting to her feet and letting the sheet pool around her ankles before she made her way to the bathroom, pushing open the door to join her husband in the shower.

* * *

**I was a bit nervous about the middle section of this chapter with Maria's thoughts on Louie and how she kind of sees Danny's new little family helping to heal those wounds. I didn't want it to seem like she no longer misses him… but, you know. Anyway, I'm rambling. I hope you enjoyed and got a little chuckle out of the awkward situation at the end.**

**What's that you ask? Did Maria hear them talking? *shrugs* Who knows? I'm certainly not giving anything like that away in an author's note! Jeez. You'll just have to keep your eyes pealed for more on that in future chapters. Mwa ha ha!**

**Anyways, please feel free to share your thoughts if there's anything you'd like to say regarding this chapter. So close to 500 reviews for this story... I can almost taste it! **

**Until next time,**

***rhymes***


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